Miroslav Klose: an unsung hero on the green turf

Miroslav Klose is the most familiar name in modern German Football. Those who have seen (any of) the last three world cups do not need a separate introduction to this goalscoring machine. The striker has been on the pinnacle of the German football for more than a decade now and was arguably the best striker of the last decade on the international level. He has the ability to score goals from almost any position. Although he is a right-footed player, he can score fantastic goals with his left foot too, and his powerful headers seem to burst the net. He doesn’t need a second touch to score a goal and can improvise from any situation to put the ball in the net. He is the ultimate predator. And who can forget his somersault celebrations? His different styles of flips are one more reason why he is a favourite among the fans. The coaching staff of the German National team surely understand his importance to the team. Even when he is out of form, he is always included in the team, because when he wears the German colours, he will score goals.

Klose comes from a sporting family. His mother, Barbara Je?, was a member of Poland’s National Handball team, while his father, Josef Klose, was a professional footballer. He began his professional career at FC Homburg and played his club football at Homburg, Kaiserslautern, Werder Bremen and Bayern Munich, before leaving for Lazio last summer (2011). But it is not the club football that made him so famous. It is the international matches, especially the big competitions, that put him in the limelight. He has scored 14 goals in three World Cups finals, is tied with fellow German legend Gerd Muller and is just 1 goal behind Ronaldo in the all time World Cup goalscorers list. Klose is also the only player to have scored five or more goals in consecutive World Cups, as well as the only player to have scored at least four in three different tournaments – enough to make him a legend. In 2001, he made a statement that in 10 years he would be the best German goal-scorer of all times. Well, he came very “Klose” to that. He is now just 5 goals behind Gerd Muller with a tally of 63 goals in 113 appearances.

Although sometimes regarded as a player whose success comes to full fruition more for country than club, Klose’s Bundesliga career was one of great accomplishment too. Playing for FC Kaiserslautern, Werder Bremen and Bayern Munich, Klose scored 126 goals in 316 league appearances, adding another 27 goals in European competition and 21 in Cup contests. He has scored at an average of 0.40 goals per game, which is nearly equal to Raul’s tally of 0.41. But the pundits and critics always overlook this.

Another most important attribute of the German is his honesty and love of football. Klose is well known among his fellow players as being just and fair in his play (which is hardly found in other players these days). He is never in the news for the wrong reasons. Even when he was not getting a regular first team action at Bayern recently, he never made a fuss about it publicly. Because of a series of injuries and the rise of Mario Gomez meant that Klose would be a second choice. Bayern were ready to offer him a year’s contract, but he wanted two years. Unfortunately no agreement was reached between the two and Klose was available in the transfer market. He received many lucrative offers from the Russian clubs but he turned them down and signed for Lazio in Italy. In today’s world where players change their loyalties for an increment, Klose certainly stood out as an exception. He is already back in form  and going strong with 8 goals in 13 matches for Lazio. He is sure to play in the Euro ‘12 and is hoping to stay fit for the FIFA WC 2014 after which he wishes to hang up his boots.

Here is an interesting fact about the right-footed striker: once, while playing for Werder Bremen he appeared to be fouled by the Bielefeld goalkeeper and was given a penalty kick. Klose, knowing he had not been fouled, let the referee know and the call was revoked. He is admired by his fellow players for this. Could you possible picture Ronaldo or Messi doing the same? I don’t think so.

Such gentlemen are hard to find in modern times. I wish him all the best for his future at Lazio and I hope he will shine again in the club football and will continue to entertain us with his trademark somersaults.