Klose retires from Germany duty

Germany striker Miroslav Klose, who capped a record-breaking career with the national team by winning the World Cup last month, has retired from international football.

Poland-born Klose, who scored twice in the tournament in Brazil to become the competition’s record goal-scorer of all time with 16 goals, said the time was right to end a 13-year career with the German national team.

The forward is the second member of Germany’s World Cup winning team to quit after the tournament following captain Philipp Lahm last month.

“Winning the title in Brazil was a childhood dream come true,” the 36-year-old Lazio striker said in a statement released by the German football Association.

“I am happy and proud to have contributed to this big success for German football. For me there could be no better moment to complete the national team chapter.”

Germany’s second most-capped player behind Lothar Matthaeus made the first of his 137 international appearances in 2001 and went on to become the top German scorer of all time with 71 international goals.

He broke Gerd Mueller’s 40-year-old record of 68 goals in June.

Germany’s only out-and-out striker in the World Cup squad, Klose was initially benched in the tournament but earned back his starting spot and scored once against Ghana in the group stage and then again in their 7-1 semi-final demolition of hosts Brazil in the semi-final.

The latter goal also meant he overtook former Brazil striker Ronaldo on the World Cup scorers list.