Miroslav Klose

(born Mirosław Marian Kloze on 9 June 1978 in Opole) is an association football player who plays as a striker for FC Bayern Munich in the Fußball-Bundesliga.

Klose is known for Miroslav Klose goalscoring instincts, aerial ability, and unselfish play.

Born in Poland part of Silesia, Klose plays for the Germany national football team, qualifying for selection because of the German nationality of Miroslav Klose father. Miroslav Klose was the top scorer and thus the Golden Boot winner at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, with five goals. Klose also scored five goals in Miroslav Klose debut World Cup, the 2002 FIFA World Cup hosted jointly by the Korea Football Association and Japan Football Association, giving Miroslav Klose a total of ten goals in World Cup finals. Miroslav Klose is the first player representing unified Germany to finish as the World Cup's top scorer, and the only player to have scored five or more goals in consecutive World Cups.

Biography

Background

Klose was born in Opole, Upper Silesia, Poland. Both of Miroslav Klose parents were active in sports; Miroslav Klose mother, Barbara Jeż, was a member of the Poland women's national handball team. Miroslav Klose father Josef Klose played professional football in Poland for Odra Opole, before leaving communist People's Republic of Poland in 1978 and moving to France to play for clubs like AJ Auxerre. In 1985, Miroslav and Miroslav Klose mother joined Miroslav Klose in Kusel, Germany. Klose's father is from an German minority in Poland family and thus they were permitted to settle as Aussiedler in West Germany.

In 2006 interviews for German Süddeutsche Zeitung and Polish tabloid Fakt, Josef Klose stated that Miroslav Klose absolutely does not want to be regarded as Polish, declaring himself rather as an Silesians and a European, and stating that the success of Miroslav Klose son is due to himself and German clubs. Miro Klose himself said in a recent interview to Przegląd Sportowy that it would be best for Miroslav Klose not to be called German or Polish, but European. As Miroslav Klose stated in an interview to Der Spiegel in 2007, Miroslav Klose family at home speaks Polish to each other, with Miroslav Klose twin sons learning German language in Kindergarten. Miroslav Klose has a Polish-born wife Sylwia Klose and is the father of twins Luan and Noah.

As footballer

Klose learned Miroslav Klose football at a village club, Blaubach-Diedelkopf, in the German seventh division. Klose had also successfully completed an apprenticeship to become a carpenter and had worked in this profession until joining the professional team of 1. FC Kaiserslautern.

Klose made it professional much later than football players in the age bracket. Miroslav Klose has in the past had many comparisons with various world class strikers such as Michael Owen and Ruud van Nistelrooy. When asked about the comparisons Klose expressed Miroslav Klose flattery to be compared to the likes of van Nistelrooy, “It's an honour to be compared to Ruud. He's played in Europe for so long and has a great goal scoring record. I hope one day I can be as good as him.” This interview was conducted in June 2007 with Der Spiegel prior Miroslav Klose move to Bayern Munich.

Club career

Kaiserslautern

After a season at FC Homburg, Miroslav Klose eventually joined the reserve team of 1. FC Kaiserslautern.

A year after joining the club Miroslav Klose made it into the first team. In Miroslav Klose first 67 matches, Klose scored 33 goals. The Fußball-Bundesliga 2002–03 was a comparatively disappointing one as Klose found the back of the net a mere seven times.

Werder Bremen

Klose transferred to SV Werder Bremen in 2004 for a sum of Euro5 million. After a lackluster start, Klose formed an impressive attacking triangle with France midfielder Johan Micoud and Croatian forward Ivan Klasnić as well as, though less frequently, Paraguayan forward Nelson Haedo Valdez, scoring 15 goals in the Fußball-Bundesliga.

Despite Miroslav Klose relatively slender frame, Klose is one of the best headers of the ball in the Fußball-Bundesliga. Moreover, Miroslav Klose combines a natural killer instinct inside the box with excellent technical ability, and is equally lethal with the ball at Miroslav Klose feet. By 2005, the introverted Klose had established himself as one of Germany's top forwards, if not the best. In the Fußball-Bundesliga 2005–06, Miroslav Klose scored 25 goals, the highest that season, and registered 16 assists in just 26 games in the Bundesliga.

After Miroslav Klose strong performance at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Klose was linked by newspapers with a move away from the Weserstadion. European giants FC Barcelona and Juventus F.C. were listed among Miroslav Klose potential suitors. Klose was also heavily linked with a move to FC Bayern Munich, with Bayern president Franz Beckenbauer an admirer of Klose.

On 7 June 2007, Klose confirmed that Miroslav Klose would leave SV Werder Bremen for FC Bayern Munich either before the 2007–08 season or upon the expiration of Miroslav Klose contract with Werder at the end of the 2007–08 season.

Bayern Munich

On 26 June 2007, club president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge confirmed that FC Bayern Munich had reached an agreement with SV Werder Bremen regarding the transfer of the player. Klose completed Miroslav Klose medical with Bayern on 28 June 2007 before signing a four-year contract.

After these successful friendly matches, Klose made Miroslav Klose first competitive appearance for Bayern in a 4–1 victory against old team Werder Bremen in the first round of the DFB-Ligapokal. After missing the semi-final victory over VfB Stuttgart due to injury, Klose returned in the final against FC Schalke 04, scoring Miroslav Klose first competitive goal for Bayern to win the title.

Klose made Miroslav Klose Fußball-Bundesliga debut in the game against F.C. Hansa Rostock on 11 August 2007 in which Miroslav Klose scored two goals. The game ended 3–0 for FC Bayern Munich with Klose's striking partner Luca Toni scoring the third goal. In late September, Miroslav Klose claimed Miroslav Klose first hat-trick for the club in a 5-0 League success over FC Energie Cottbus.

After that bright start to Miroslav Klose Bayern career, Klose struggled during the latter half of the Bundesliga season. Miroslav Klose total of 20 goals in all competitions - with an impressive DFB Cup record - did however play a significant role in helping the club to a league and cup double.

International career

Miroslav Klose consistency as a goal-scorer in Fußball-Bundesliga 2000-01 at Kaiserslautern earned Miroslav Klose attention. In January 2001, the then national coach Jerzy Engel of the Poland national football team travelled to Germany to persuade Klose to choose playing for Poland. This request was declined by Klose who said that: “I have a German passport, and if things are still running this way, I have a chance to play for Rudi Völler”. In fact, Miroslav Klose soon was capped and made Miroslav Klose debut for Germany against Albania national football team on 24 March 2001. Klose came on as a substitute and headed in from close range the winning 2-1 goal two minutes from time.

In an interview given to Przegląd Sportowy on 9 June 2008, Klose stated that the decision to play for Germany instead of Poland was not an easy one, and if Polish officials had been faster, Miroslav Klose would be playing for Poland now. Furthermore, Miroslav Klose added that Miroslav Klose does not regret the choice, as with Germany Miroslav Klose has won medals in the World Cup tournaments. The German national team has never lost a game in which Klose has scored.

2002 World Cup

In the 2002 FIFA World Cup in South Korea-Japan, Miroslav Klose scored five headed goals for the Germany national football team, finishing joint second highest goal scorer along with Rivaldo. This tally included a hat trick in Germany's 8–0 hammering of Saudi Arabia national football team. Klose's trademark goal celebration is a front-flip which Miroslav Klose did five times during the 2002 FIFA World Cup and which has earned Miroslav Klose the fans' nickname “Salto-Klose”.

2006 World Cup

Klose was named to Miroslav Klose second successive FIFA World Cup team for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. In the opening match against Costa Rica national football team, coinciding with Miroslav Klose 28th birthday, Klose scored two goals, in the 17th and 61st minutes. This led to Germany's 4–2 win over Costa Rica.

Klose played against the country of Miroslav Klose birth, Poland national football team, in Germany's second match. During the tournament, Miroslav Klose formed a formidable strike partnership with Poland-born Lukas Podolski scoring 8 goals between them.

Miroslav Klose scored another two goals against Ecuador national football team on 20 June, putting Miroslav Klose on top of the tournament top scorer list with four goals. Klose also played a major part in Germany's 2–0 win over Sweden in the first knockout round, demonstrating Miroslav Klose ability to provide assists as Miroslav Klose set up strike partner Lukas Podolski for both goals.

Klose scored the equaliser against Argentina national football team in the quarterfinal game played on June 30, 2006, with Germany going on to win 4–2 on penalty shootout (football). Klose is the first German since Gerd Müller in the 1970s to become the top scorer at a World Cup, and the first World Cup finals top scorer from unified Germany (Müller represented the former West Germany). Klose has scored ten goals in World Cup finals, and is six goals away from overtaking Brazilian forward Ronaldo as the all-time highest scorer in the World Cup.

Klose's five 2002 FIFA World Cup goals were all headers; only the fifth of Miroslav Klose five goals in the 2006 matches was a header (his first in two years). Three of the first four were scored with Miroslav Klose favoured right foot. Klose and team-mate Michael Ballack became the only two FIFA World Cup awards All-Star Team of the 2006 World Cup to be in the previous All-Star Team of 2002. Klose also holds the record for being the only player to score 5 goals in consecutive World Cups.

Euro 2008

On 6 September 2006, Klose scored two away goals against San Marino national football team in a 13–0 Euro 2008 Qualifying win which took Miroslav Klose international goal tally to 33, the same amount as Miroslav Klose idol Fritz Walter and to joint 7th in the list of all-time goalscorers for Germany.

Miroslav Klose had a goal drought for a long time with the national team, causing speculation that Miroslav Klose may be dropped from the starting line-up. But German coach Joachim Löw has denied this.

Another highlight in Klose's career came on 8 September 2007, as Miroslav Klose captained Germany for the first time and celebrated this honour by scoring both of Miroslav Klose country's goals in a 2–0 victory over Wales national football team. The next day, one of the headlines in the UEFA official website was “Captain Klose Takes Germany Closer (to qualifying).”

In the main tournament, Klose started the opening group game against Poland national football team and was the provider of both of German goals which were scored by Lukas Podolski in a 2-0 victory. Miroslav Klose played the remaining two group games against Croatia national football team and Austria national football team with no goals. Miroslav Klose finally broke Miroslav Klose duck during the knockout stages, scoring the second goal for Germany during both quarter final and semi-final against Portugal national football team and Turkey national football team. However Miroslav Klose was unable to score during the final against Spain national football team.

International goals

Awards and Honours

Club

- SV Werder Bremen
- - DFB-Ligapokal: 2006

- FC Bayern Munich
- - Fußball-Bundesliga: 2007-08
- - DFB-Pokal: 2008
- - DFB-Ligapokal: 2007

National Team

- 2002 FIFA World Cup Runner-up: 2002
- 2006 FIFA World Cup 3rd Place: 2006
- UEFA European Football Championship Runner-up: UEFA Euro 2008

Individual

- Bundesliga top scorers (25 goals): 2006
- German Footballer of the Year: 2006

- FIFA World Cup awards: 2002
- FIFA World Cup awards: 2006