BERLIN (AFP) — On the first floor of his villa, 30 kilometres from Munich, Germany and Bayern Munich striker Lukas Podolski has set up an office where his most treasured sports memorabilia are kept.

The 22-year-old - voted the best young player at the 2006 World Cup - has already scored 24 goals for his country in 45 appearances and is set to be one of the stars of this summer's Euro 2008.

His office contains two glass display cabinets filled with items like the boots in which he scored three goals for Germany when his side finished third at the 2006 World Cup.

But his most treasured possession is a pair of red boots which stand out from the other keep-sakes, the signature betrays the previous owner - Podolski's hero, seven-times Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher.

"'Schumi' gave me those as a present during his last season. Together with his driver's jacket," Podolski proudly told German magazine Sports-Bild.

In exchange, Schumacher received a signed Germany shirt from Podolski and the pair have built up a friendship based on their mutual passion for football and Formula One.

And Podolski is hoping Schumacher will repeat the moral-boosting visit he paid to the German squad before the 2006 World Cup later this summer as they prepare for June's Euro 2008 tournament.

The German Formula One legend mingled with the squad during breaks in training during the 2006 pre-World Cup camp and Podolski still remembers the experience.

"It was incredibly motivating," he said.

"You have to look up to a sporting legend like that.

"What he has achieved for Germany is unbelievable."

Germany will be based in the Swiss town of Ascona for Euro 2008, not far from Schumacher's home on Lake Geneva.

"There will never be as great a motoracing driver as him," said Podolski before adding with a smile: "Who knows? Perhaps he will take me out in a two-seater racing car..."

Podolski comes from Bergheim in North Rhine-Westphalia, close to Schumacher's family home in near-by Kerpen.

"Our parents houses are not far apart, no more than five minutes in the car, probably less for Schumacher."

While still a youth team player at FC Cologne, Podolski would pester his parents to drive past Schumacher's house in the hope of getting a glimpse of his hero.

And later as a professional footballer he realised his biggest dream when he met his idol.

"At the Nurburgring race track, Schumi invited me into his private box before the race," said Podolski.

And the contact has not been broken despite Schumacher's retirement from Formula One in 2006.

Podolski has Schumacher's number in his mobile phone and the racing driver became a Cologne fan because of Podolski, before his transfer to Bayern in the summer of 2006.

"Since my transfer, I am not sure if he is still a fan of mine," joked Podolski.

The Poland-born striker still gets up in the early hours of the morning to watch every Formula One race and has become a fan of Polish driver Robert Kubica, who he is now keen to meet.

And Podolski says his ambition is to return to the race track at Nurburgring when his football career is over - but this time as a driver.

"To drive a Formula One car is a real dream of mine," he said.

"I'd like to do that after my career is over in ten or 12 years time."

Podolski is currently without his driving licence - his Audi Q7 remains on the driveway - after he was banned for dangerous driving in June 2007.

But he would love to take a special driving course before he could get behind the wheel of a Formula One car.

"There are so many damned buttons and gears in the cockpit, but a bit of training would give me confidence."

Striker Mario Gomez proved he could be the man to partner 2006 Golden Boot-winner Miroslav Klose for June's EURO 2008 campaign with two goals in Germany's 4-0 friendly win over Switzerland on Wednesday.

The 22-year-old struck twice in Basel and created Germany's opener for Klose - the top-scorer at the 2006 World Cup - as Germany dominated Switzerland, who will co-host Euro 2008 with Austria.

"That was a successful evening," said Gomez after Germany produced a more polished performance than their 3-0 win over Austria in Vienna last month. "The last game we didn't play so well, but today we played with much more intensity and we got the rewards we deserved."

Gomez, who now has five goals for Germany in just nine appearances, made sure Klose scored one of the easiest goals of his career, when he threaded a ball through the Swiss defence to give Klose a simple tap in midway through the first half.

Stuttgart striker Gomez then weighed in with goals on 62 and 67 minutes before Klose's second-half replacement Lukas Podolski scored the fourth goal - his 25th goal in just 46 internationals.

"I am pretty pleased with the performance," said National coach Joachim Löw who will name his Euro 2008 squad on May 16. "We concentrated hard from the out-set and were well organised. We played with much more intensity and aggression than against Austria. We got some answers to open questions."

Switzerland had caused Germany some nervous moments early on as captain Alexander Frei fired past Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann, but the striker was judged to have strayed off-side.

Germany head coach Joachim Löw has recalled Middlesbrough defender Robert Huth for next Wednesday's Euro 2008 warm-up friendly against Switzerland in Basel (8.30 pm).

The 24-year-old, who has won 17 caps for Germany, last played for his country in the 2006 World Cup group stage 3-0 win over Ecuador but has been blighted with injury ever since.

The 21-man squad also includes Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack, who spent most of last year suffering from an ankle injury, but captained the side in the 3-0 friendly win over Austria in Vienna last month.

Germany have been drawn in Group B for this June's Euro 2008 tournament and will play co-hosts Austria, Croatia and Poland.

Werder Bremen were held to a 1-1 draw at relegation-threatened Arminia Bielefeld on Sunday in a further blow to their championship ambitions.

Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich (53 points) widened their lead at the top to seven points on Saturday with their 2-1 win over third-placed Bayer Leverkusen (44), while second-placed Hamburg SV (46) were held to a 1-1 draw at VfL Wolfsburg.

Schalke 04, who beat Hertha Berlin 2-1 on Sunday, are fifth.

Werder had been in the top three and on course for the Champions League until their recent slump.

Brazil playmaker Diego celebrated his first match back after a three-match suspension by converting a penalty in the 70th minute for Werder, his 11th goal of the season after Bielefeld defender Oliver Kirch put the hosts in front in the 14th minute.

In Berlin, Gerard Asamoah (12) and Jermaine Jones (23) scored early to put Schalke 2-0 in front. Sofian Chahed converted a penalty in the 67th. The defeat ended Hertha's six-match unbeaten streak.

Germany striker Miroslav Klose scored his 20th goal for Bayern Munich to book his side's place in next month's German Cup final after Wednesday night's 2-0 semi-final win over VfL Wolfsburg.

Since his switch to Munich from Werder Bremen last summer, Klose now has ten Bundesliga goals to his name, plus five in both the UEFA Cup and German Cup - but still lags behind top-scorer Luca Toni who has 24 goals for Bayern this season.

Klose, 29, added Bayern's second from close-range in the 66th minute after French midfielder Franck Ribery had broken the dead-lock on the hour mark to put Bayern just one win away from lifting the cup for the 14th time. The top scorer at the 2006 World Cup, Klose is set to shine in June's Euro 2008 tournament after showing his poachers instinct to book Bayern's final spot against Borussia Dortmund on Saturday April 19 in Berlin.

The win was good news for Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld as his side bounced back after their UEFA Cup defeat by Anderlecht the week before and the humiliation of the 2-0 league defeat at strugglers Energie Cottbus last weekend. There were changes after the debacle in Cottbus with Italian World Cup winner Toni rested and Germany striker Lukas Podolski given his chance up front alongside Klose up front.

Bayern got off to a bright start as early as the second minute when Ribery found himself behind the Wolfsburg defence, but his header trickled wide. Both Klose and Podolski squandered chances early on, but Ribery got the all important break-through just before the hour mark.

With the Wolfsburg defence closing in, Klose slid a pass to Ribery who unleashed his shot and ricocheted off the legs off goalkeeper Diego Benaglio into the back of the net. And Klose added the second on 66 minutes when he followed up Marcell Jansen's shot and stabbed the ball home for his 20th goal for Bayern in all competitions.

Brazilian midfielder Tinga helped book Borussia Dortmund's place in next month's German Cup final as both goal-scorer and provider in the 3-0 semi-final win over ten-man Carl Zeiss Jena on Tuesday. They will play the winners of Wednesday's semi-final between Bayern Munich and VfL Wolfsburg in next month's final in Berlin.

The 30-year-old put the home side ahead in the 13th minute when striker Mladen Petric produced a bullet header which was saved by Jena's goalkeeper Wassili Chomutowski, but Tinga was the first to react and slide the ball home.

And the Brazil international produced a cool pass on 70 minutes which Dortmund midfielder Florian Kringe fired home, but when Khomuovski parried his save striker Diego Klimowicz followed up to make it 2-0 on 71 minutes.Petric made it 3-0 just three minutes from time with a well-taken strike.

Second-division strugglers Jena, who are just one from the bottom of the table, found themselves down to ten men when Czech midfielder Jan Simak was shown two yellow cards in quick succession which led to the subsequent red midway through the second half.