Football
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Lukas Podolski: Criticism 'carried over from Italian media'

Lukas Podolski has hit back at his critics after securing Germany a 2-2 draw against Australia on Wednesday night.

The Arsenal forward, who is on loan at Inter Milan until the end of the season, has found himself in the firing line in the Italian media for his performances in Serie A.

Podolski has yet to open his account for Inter since joining them in January and has been labelled the Nerazzurri's worst signing of the season by the Corriere dello Sport, but the 29-year-old insists he is far from past his best.

"Should I just dig myself into the ground and give up playing football?" he said after Wednesday's international friendly in Kaiserslautern.

"Things keep getting carried over from the Italian media."

His goal on Wednesday was his 48th for his country -- more than Rudi Voller and Jurgen Klinsmann -- yet he has rarely delivered the same amount of goals at club level, apart from when he was at home-town club Cologne.

Being with the national team brings the best out of Podolski, who was part of Germany's World Cup-winning squad despite not getting a regular game for the Gunners.

"I've always been part of the team and I hope that will remain the case in future," added Podolski, according to Sport1.de. "I love to hear the fans calling my name.

"I love being here and always give my best in training, then the rest is up to the national team coach."

He appears to be doing enough still to convince Joachim Low, who said he has "a feeling that people want to write him off, but he's still alive and kicking and his record speaks for itself."

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