The all-time World Cup top scorer, Miroslav Klose has announced his retirement from international football last Monday. The German striker has left the German National Team at the top of their game after recently winning the World Cup Title in Brazil. It was the team's first golden trophy since 1990.
The 36 year old football player has played in the World Cup for four times before retiring. He had 16 goals throughout the tournament which exceeded Ronaldo's leading score. Klose has also won two German titles when he was with Bayern Munich following spells with Kaiserslautern and Werder Bremen.
According to Klose "The success of the team stood and always stands for me in the highest place. With the national team I achieved our greatest goal, a goal which we had together within the squad. In addition, I achieved personal goals and those who know me know that I am very ambitious, but I am a striker and the task of a striker is to score goals."
He added "Therefore the records never concerned me, but it was always about giving my best for the team."
His German National Team coach has nothing but good words for Klose saying "For Miro it was always an honour to be called up into the national team. He's given everything for Germany. I have the biggest respect for his decision and for his incredible career in the national team, which will be a tough one to better."
And it is the same for Federation president Wolfgang Niersbach saying that Klose is "not only an exceptional player but also an absolutely exemplary man. 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."
Germany's hero for the 2014 World Cup, Mario Goetze tweeted saying "Thank's Miro. The figures speaks for you, but it is as a person that you are more remarkable."
As well as German team manager Oliver Bierhoff saying "It is strange to imagine that Miro will no longer be part of the Mannschaft (national side). He was the archetypal professional."