http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/050617/1/3wzj.html
Germany pay a visit to the court of Prince Poldi
17 June 2005
by FIFAworldcup.com
Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lukas Podolski are the golden boys of German
football at the moment, winning plaudits for their fresh and unencumbered
style both on and off the field.
The pair, both still only 20 and close friends, brought the house down at the
news conference ahead of Germany's second FIFA Confederations Cup 2005 group
match against Tunisia in Cologne on Saturday. "I've offered to show him this
beautiful city so he'll come and join me here," Cologne striker Podolski
responded, straight-faced, after Schweinsteiger's recent revelation that he
had been instructed to sell the delights of Bayern Munich to his best mate in
the national team.
Schweinsteiger politely declined a comprehensive tour of the Rhineland
metropolis, including the promise of a trip to the cathedral and a local
brewery, but Podolski is clearly enjoying every second of the Germany squad's
presence in Cologne as the youngster is a dyed-in-the-wool native of the city.
Unsurprisingly, the man dubbed 'Prince Poldi' by an army of adoring fans is
fired up for the meeting with the African champions in front of his home
crowd. "There's always a great atmosphere here. It's a tremendous stadium
with tremendous fans. It's fantastic playing here in Cologne," he declared.
Asked whether he was expecting any sort of special welcome from his home
public, he remained diplomatic: "Let's see what they come up with."
Podolski is guaranteed a hero's welcome at the weekend, and he has risen to
iconic status far beyond the borders of the city. An entire nation's hopes
suddenly rest on his young shoulders after a five-goal haul in the last five
internationals. And for dedicated followers of the game, he and
Schweinsteiger are putting the fun back into football in a way not seen for
many long years.
However, the joking will stop the minute the whistle blows for kick-off at
6pm on Saturday. "Winning is the only thing that matters," Schweinsteiger
insisted. Podolski added: "We know victory would give us a place in the
semi-final." And 'Prince Poldi' could play a decisive role in achieving that
target, ensuring the smiles remain fixed on German faces for a while yet.
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