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Klose quits DFB

August 11, 2014

Germany's highest goalscorer Miroslav Klose has retired from the country's national team. After the success of the team in Brazil, he said he couldn't imagine a better time to call it quits.

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Miroslav Klose
Image: Reuters

Germany's leading goalscorer Miroslav Klose has announced that he will be ending his national team career, with immediate effect.

In 137 games for his adopted country, the Polish-born striker scored a record-breaking 71 goals.

"In winning the title in Brazil, I was able to fulfill a childhood dream," Klose said in a statement on the German national team's website. "I am proud and happy that I was able to be part of this great success for German football."

"For me there is no better time to end my time with the national team."

In Brazil, the 36-year-old had scored two goals to pass Brazilian superstar Ronaldo and take himself to the top of the World Cup scorers list, with 16 goals.

'Amazing career'

Following the announcement German coach Joachim Löw praised Klose's achievements. "I have a lot of respect for Miro's decision. Just as I do for his amazing national team career, which will be hard to beat," Löw said.

German Football Association president Wolfgang Niersbach said Klose was "not only an exceptional player, but also an absolutely exemplary man."

Miroslav Klose scores against Brazil
Klose scored two goals in Brazil to break the World Cup finals recordImage: Reuters

"With his 71 goals for the national team and his 16 goals in the World Cup, he has established two phenomenal records that will ensure him a place of honour in the history books."

A host of former and current players saluted Klose's achievements online via social network sites. Germany's World Cup final goalscorer Mario Goetze also paid homage to Klose with a tweet.

"Thanks Miro Klose. Your statistics speak for themselves, but you are even more remarkable as a person!" he wrote.

For the moment Klose will continue playing for his Italian Serie A club, Lazio Rom. It's the second major retirement in the German national team inside of a month. World Cup winning captain Philipp Lahm also recently left the team saying he was "happy to have set himself free."

al/tj (AFP, dpa, SID)