Lukas Podolski, the World Cup winner, is set to release his Netflix documentary, ‘POLDI’, on June 4. This comes shortly after his last professional game for his hometown club, Gornik Zabrze. The documentary promises to show more than just his footballing achievements.
The documentary aims to reveal the person behind the footballer.
Behind the Laughter: Podolski’s Marriage Troubles
Podolski’s documentary, premiered at Cologne’s RheinEnergie Stadion, offers an intimate look at the 130-cap international. According to his wife, Monika, the documentary will show more than just the footballer and the funny man. It will show the person behind the public image. Monika makes her first public appearance in the documentary, offering private insights, including details of their first meeting.
Lukas and Monika Podolski reveal their marital crisis following his return from Munich to FC Köln in 2009. Monika explained she struggled with having to share him with millions of people. She said that she may have needed him more during that period.
Podolski continued to live his life, prioritising football over family time, which led to disagreements. Monika suggested a separation, and Podolski moved out. “There were moments in Cologne where we didn’t speak for a few weeks, we argued, and we weren’t together for a few weeks,” he says in the documentary. They eventually reconciled, realising they could not live without each other.
Family and Football: An Emotional Toll
Podolski reveals in his documentary how he suffered as a national player due to the constant separation from his son, Louis, who was born in 2008. He admits to crying a lot during that time. His parents recount their escape from Poland. Podolski also shares how he gifted his father, Waldemar, an Audi A4 with his first professional earnings, an emotional moment for both of them.
The documentary also features appearances from his parents, aunts, son Louis, and friends. He dedicated the documentary to his late grandmother, Helene, who died in December 2025.
- The documentary includes footage from his childhood home.
- It shows his close relationship with his family.
- It shows his life in Poland.
Podolski’s documentary includes his motto: “If you’re going to drop your trousers, you have to drop them all the way down.”
The documentary captures Podolski’s journey, showing him as a person, father, son, and husband.