Pitched battle, stabbings, injured police officers: German footballer Lukas Podolski's catastrophic jubilee

Le jubilé de Lukas Podolski a viré au drame. Kirchner-Media – Kirchner-Media/TH

Ancienne star de l’équipe d’Allemagne de football, l’attaquant Lukas Podolski a fêté son jubilé, ce jeudi 10 octobre à Cologne. Mais la fête a viré au drame.

It was supposed to be a party, but it turned into a disaster. For his farewell match, German Lukas Podolski (39 years old, 130 caps) had planned a match between Team Poldi, a group of former teammates, and the German first division team Cologne in front of 50,000 people.

Unfortunately, the party turned into a nightmare as a tragic event came to spoil this festive moment. Indeed, clashes between Polish and German supporters, or Polish supporters among themselves, the investigation is ongoing, led to several altercations. During one of them, a 32-year-old man who was going to the match was seriously injured by a stab wound. He was evacuated to the hospital in a critical condition.

Nine police officers injured

Later, the German riot police had to intervene to put an end to another fight between supporters. An incident that ended in a pitched battle causing the injury of nine police officers.

An incident that shocked the organizers of the event and the player who was visibly moved by the situation. That didn't stop the party from going ahead, nor did it stop Lukas Podolski from saying goodbye to football at the age of 39. "It's over on the pitch, but we'll definitely see each other again off the pitch, whether in the stands or away, he said. Once a Cologne fan, always a Cologne fan. It means a lot to me that so many fans want to come and enjoy this special evening with me. It's a final declaration of love to this special city, to the club with its fantastic fans, to my teammates for so many years and to the other people who have accompanied me on my journey."