Lukas Podolski bid a touching goodbye to football as he put on his final pair of boots.
Following an emotional game before a crowd of 50,000 supporters in Cologne, Germany, the former Arsenal great acknowledged that he would be retiring.
Before making a return to his home town where he played his testimonial match , the form geman international , lucas podolski played for Gornik Zabrze in Poland.
The attacking player open a goal for "Team Poldi," which won 5-3 over a Cologne XI.
At the RheinEnergieStadion, Podolski received a standing ovation following the match.
The formerly German international wept handful of tears as he acknowledged the audience.