43 Facts About Miroslav Klose

1.

Miroslav Josef Klose is a German professional football manager and former player.

2.

Miroslav Klose's performances saw him move to giants Bayern Munich in 2007.

3.

Miroslav Klose is best known for his performances with the German national team.

4.

Miroslav Klose was part of the squad that won the 2014 World Cup, having previously finished second and third in the competition; he finished as runner-up with Germany at UEFA Euro 2008 and joint-third place at UEFA Euro 2012.

5.

Miroslav Klose holds the record for the most goals scored in FIFA World Cup tournaments, having scored five goals in his debut World Cup in 2002 and having won the Golden Boot at the 2006 World Cup in Germany by again scoring five times.

6.

Miroslav Klose scored four times in the 2010 World Cup and twice at the 2014 World Cup, in the latter tournament overtaking Brazil's Ronaldo's then-record of 15 goals to top the all-time list.

7.

Miroslav Klose retired from the national team in August 2014, shortly after Germany's victory at the 2014 World Cup.

8.

Miroslav Klose was born on 9 June 1978 in the Silesian city of Opole, Poland.

9.

Miroslav Klose's father, Josef Klose, was a professional footballer who played for Odra Opole before leaving Poland in 1978 to play for French club Auxerre.

10.

Miroslav Klose's mother, Barbara Jez, was a member of the Poland women's national handball team.

11.

Josef Miroslav Klose was an Aussiedler whose family had remained behind when Silesia was ceded to Poland after World War II.

12.

In 1986, then eight-year-old Miroslav Klose joined his father in Kusel, West Germany, knowing only two words of German.

13.

Miroslav Klose developed his footballing skill and passion with local club SG Blaubach-Diedelkopf, which at the time was in the West-German seventh division.

14.

Miroslav Klose relinquished Polish citizenship at age 18, opting to keep his German passport.

15.

Miroslav Klose played for the second team and made his first appearance in the Bundesliga in April 2000.

16.

Miroslav Klose completed his medical with Bayern on 28 June 2007 before signing a four-year contract.

17.

Miroslav Klose had scored one Bundesliga goal in 20 matches in his final season.

18.

Miroslav Klose signed a three-year contract with Italian Serie A club Lazio on 9 June 2011.

19.

However, Miroslav Klose informed the referee and asked that the goal be discounted.

20.

In January 2001, then-head coach of the Poland national team, Jerzy Engel, travelled to Germany to persuade Miroslav Klose to choose to represent Poland.

21.

Miroslav Klose became the first player to score five headers in a FIFA World Cup, and he celebrated two of his goals with his trademark front-flip, earning him the nickname "Salto-Miroslav Klose".

22.

Miroslav Klose participated in UEFA Euro 2004 and came on as a substitute in two matches, against Latvia and the Czech Republic, but was not completely fit, since he had just recovered from a knee injury.

23.

Miroslav Klose was not able to score and Germany was eliminated after the first round.

24.

Miroslav Klose scored an 80th-minute headed equaliser against Argentina in the quarter-finals, and Germany won the resulting penalty shootout.

25.

Miroslav Klose played the remaining two group games against Croatia and Austria with no goals of his own.

26.

Miroslav Klose finally broke his duck during the knockout stages, scoring for Germany in the quarter-final and the semi-final against Portugal and Turkey respectively.

27.

Miroslav Klose was selected in Germany's final 23-man squad for the third successive World Cup campaign.

28.

However, Miroslav Klose was sent off in the 37th minute of Germany's match against Serbia for amassing his second yellow-card foul of the match, and did not play the match against Ghana because of his expulsion.

29.

Miroslav Klose made his 100th international appearance in the quarter-final match against Argentina, becoming only the sixth German player to reach the landmark.

30.

Miroslav Klose then scored the second and fourth goals against Argentina, pulling him level with Gerd Muller's all-time German World Cup goalscoring record.

31.

At the tournament, Miroslav Klose came off the bench in all three of Germany's Group B games, but failed to score a goal.

32.

On 6 June 2014, in Germany's final friendly before the World Cup against Armenia, Miroslav Klose scored his 69th international goal, thus breaking Gerd Muller's record of 68 goals and becoming Germany's record goalscorer.

33.

On 8 July, Miroslav Klose scored a record 16th World Cup goal in the 23rd minute against Brazil in the semi-finals, his second goal of the 2014 World Cup.

34.

Miroslav Klose set another record by becoming the first player to appear in four consecutive World Cup semi-finals.

35.

Miroslav Klose started in the World Cup final against Argentina and played until the 88th minute, when he was substituted for Mario Gotze.

36.

Miroslav Klose announced his retirement from international football one month after the final.

37.

On 1 November 2016, Miroslav Klose was hired to become part of the coaching staff of the German national team.

38.

Miroslav Klose signed a two-year contract until the end of June 2020.

39.

On 7 May 2020, Miroslav Klose signed a one-year contract to become the first-team assistant manager under Hansi Flick.

40.

On 17 June 2022, it was announced that Miroslav Klose would take over as head coach of Austrian Bundesliga club Rheindorf Altach.

41.

Miroslav Klose was known for his dedication and correct behaviour on the pitch.

42.

On 30 April 2005, while playing for Werder Bremen, Miroslav Klose refused to accept a penalty given against Arminia Bielefeld as he felt the decision was incorrect.

43.

Miroslav Klose admitted this to the referee, who took back his decision to award the goal, spared Klose from a yellow card and shook his hand.