As Germany face the old enemy England one more time in Dortmund, it is time to bid farewell to another one of the golden generation that really took flight on home soil a decade ago and now looks to pass the baton on to another generation of Die nationalmannschaft superstars.

After Miroslav Klose, Phillip Lahm and Bastian Schweinsteiger, it’s the turn of Lukas “Poldi” Podolski to hang up his international boots and the distinguished Black-and-White jersey.

The left-footer from Cologne was similar to a lot of his colleagues at international level – not the most prolific of footballers for his clubs, but always at a 7/10 level while slipping on the fabled German shirt.

Did he maximise his potential?

Today, one is the best Ambassador in Germany by Board of @DFB_Team. Thanks, Luke @Podolski10!

Podolski over the years has been known to be a character both on and off the pitch, yet took offence to the suggestion that he was there as a mere cheerleader in Germany’s 2016 Euro squad.

This was after reports surfaced that he had helped his teammates through some difficult times and had helped keep the morale of the squad high at Rio where they had managed to win a fourth World Cup title.

Yet, this was despite the fact that Poldi had managed 17 goals and nine assists for club Galatasaray playing as a winger. With the winger having played for clubs like Bayern Munich and Arsenal and not enjoying the level of success other German players had at the likes of Bayern or Dortmund, Podolski’s inclusions had been heavily scrutinized of late.

The facts are indisputable however: Podolski had been the youngest debutant since Uwe Seeler after becoming the most prolific 18-year old in the history of the Bundesliga after netting ten goals for Cologne.

He retires. having earned the third highest caps for his country, only behind Lothar Matthaus (150 caps) and Miroslav Klose (137), in what will be his 130th and final cap against England on Wednesday evening. In terms of goals scored, he has 48 and will look to add to that tally, trailing only Klose (71), Gerd Muller (68) and Joachim Streich (59).

Observers who saw that hammer of a left foot when the winger made his debut at 19 will always wonder if Poldi truly lived up to his potential.

Early beginnings and a lifelong friendship

Podolski’s closeness to ex-German captain Schweinsteiger goes way beyond the pitch, primarily due to the fact that the duo debuted together for the national team in a 2-0 friendly loss against Hungary in 2004.

His call-up was even more unusual in the fact that Cologne were a second division team, but his role in getting them promoted and trying to single-handedly keep them there is often understated, as is the fact that he went down with them while a full member of the national squad, only to try and get them into the Bundesliga again.

Apart from Schweinsteiger, who he shared a Bayern dressing room with for three years as well, his other link was with Klose. As two fellows born in Poland and of the same origin, both the attackers had a lot in common and none assisted Poldi more so than Klose, with 10 assists to his name.

In his 17th match, he scored a hat-trick against South Africa in a 4-2 win in Bremen, but his international career really took off with 2006 World Cup, where he scored three goals, including a quickfire double in a quarterfinal win over Sweden.

From terrific young player to team man

That summer, Podolski was awarded the Best Young Player award ahead of two prodigious talents, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Four year later, a certain Thomas Muller would replicate his efforts in winning the same prize.

The next Euros in 2008 saw him score two goals against the country of his birth, both set up by Klose. After the match, Podolski would reflect, “Of course I had mixed emotions. A large part of my family lives in Poland so this was a very important moment for me.”

He became the youngest German to reach a 100 caps against Denmark in the 2012 Euros, marking the occasion with a goal. Post that tournament, form and fitness became an important factor for Podolski not making the team on a consistent basis.

The rise of youngsters such as Marco Reus, Mario Gotze would also limit his playing time but Jogi Low did not lose the faith in the winger as he would be part of the 2014 World Cup as well as the 2016 Euros squad.

As Poldi walks off into the sunset one last time, all memories of that bucaneering, swashbuckling 2006 squad leave with him. The class of 2006 and Podolski will be fondly remembered.