DHAKA: Star striker Lukas Podolski dedicated Germany’s convincing 4-0 FIFA World Cup victory against Portugal to his friend Michael Schumacher.

The Formula One legend emerged from a six-month coma on Monday, just hours before Germany’s opening World Cup group G match against a fancied Cristiano Ronaldo-led Portuguese team.

Podolski, who came on as a substitute in the 82nd minute, said the Germans were lifted by the news about the retired seven-time Formula One world champion.

Germany played their 100th World Cup game and Thomas Muller scored a hattrick in his 50th match for his country.

Schumacher suffered a serious head injury in a skiing accident last December. He will now be on a long path to complete recovery in a hospital in Lausanne.

‘It is important to all of us to hear that news that he’s come out of hospital,’ Podolski said, reports NDTV.

‘He’s doing well and he’s getting better and it’s really good news.’

‘When you hear the news about a good friend it always helps and you get a little bit of a boost and I was very happy when I heard about the news.’

‘He’s a good guy and he’s also crazy about football. Maybe, he watched the game or he knew about the result. Yeah if we win the title of course it would also be for a good friend as well as ourselves.’

BDST: 2011 HRS, JUNE 17, 2014