Podolski bid a teary adieu to his 21-year career at his testimonial match

A former Arsenal star bid a teary adieu to his 21-year playing career after the final whistle on a testimonial match at his boyhood club.

The 39-year-old enjoyed a trophy-laden two decades featuring at a host of top clubs including the Premier League titans, winning the Bundesliga, FA Cup, and 2014 World Cup with Germany ten years ago.

Emotions ran high when Lukas Podolski returned to Cologne on Thursday evening, whose youth ranks he had joined in 2003, and where he made 81 appearances before making his first big move to Bayern Munich.

After scoring for both Team Poldi and a Cologne XI on the farewell evening, the forward then took the microphone to deliver a goodbye speech which saw the player pledge his lifelong allegiance to the side.

'It's over on the pitch now, but we'll definitely see each other again off the pitch - whether in the stands or on the road,' Podolski said.

'Once a Cologne fan, always a Cologne fan.

'It really touches me that so many fans would like to come to enjoy this special evening with me,' he told the 50,000-strong crowd. 'It is an honour for me to wear the Billygoat on my chest once more in front of a full house.

'It's a final declaration of love for this special city, the club with its fantastic fans, my team-mates for so many years and other people who have accompanied my path.'

Taking part in the testimonial were a raft of famous faces including former Germany No 1 Manuel Neuer, Mats Hummels, Per Mertesacker, Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick, and former national team manager Joachim Low.

After two years in Bavaria with Bayern Munich, Podolski returned to Cologne before his 2012 move to Arsenal.

A loan move to Inter Milan, and stints at Galatasaray, Vissel Kobe, and Antalyaspor followed, before the Polish-born forward finished his career at Gornik Zabrze.

Podolski had previously retired from national team duty in 2017, and he remains the third-most capped player in German history.

Away from football, Podolski has been diligently making a name for himself in another field entirely.

Mail Sport met with Podolski in June to discuss his £180million kebab empire, where the entrepreneur discussed building his business and potential plans for club ownership - with Gornik Zabrze top of his list.