A viral clip showing former Arsenal striker Lukas Podolski committing a brutal knee-high scissor tackle during a charity five-a-side match has led to the German being labelled a 'thug'. The incident, captured during a match in Poland last year, shows the former international scything down an opponent, sparking fury among those watching.
Victim's reaction and referee's decision
The victim, Poland's Jakub Siedlecki, is seen clutching his leg in pain after the challenge. Podolski then doubles down by throwing the ball at the injured player. Despite the severity of the tackle, the referee only issued a yellow card, sparing Podolski an early exit.
Speaking after the match, Siedlecki described Podolski as "hot-headed" but denied any long-term grudge between the two. He said: "Things got a little heated, but afterwards the emotions died down. We know Lukas Podolski can sometimes be quite hot-headed in his actions."
Apology and online backlash
Podolski later apologised for his conduct and gave Siedlecki a football shirt. In a post on Twitter, he wrote: "There were emotions on the pitch, but after the match we made peace. Sorry for the hard foul. All the best for the season."
The resurfaced clip has drawn criticism online, with one user calling Podolski a "typical Arsenal thug with zero self control" and another citing a "fundamental lack of morals".
Previous five-a-side incident
This is not the first time Podolski has lost his temper in five-a-side. In 2023, he was sent off during a tournament raising money for his own charity, The Lukas Podolski Foundation, after a confrontation with the referee that included a water bottle being squirted at the official.
Podolski reportedly argued with the referee again after the final whistle and had to be calmed by teammates, though he later apologised. He told German outlet BILD: "I threw the water onto the pitch because I was f***ing angry that I had been given (the red card). As a club, we received three penalties of more than two minutes in that match. I argued a little too much with the referee, received a card and went behind the boards."
