Another dedicated German has hung up his boots following the DFB World Cup glory; Miroslav Klose, the man behind much of the magic and the flawless acrobatic celebrations, has sadly retired from international football. Similarly to the humble ex-skipper, Philipp Lahm, Klose’s exit was sparked by the overwhelming joy felt after winning the tournament in Brazil just weeks ago, which would arguably be the pinnacle of one’s career. With now two of the wise old owls of the German team to watch from a distance as spectators, the feisty new hotshots on the field will be the ones to look up to.
As a German player, Klose has been subject to his fair share of triumph during his footballing days, and has always displayed infallible technique, especially in the opposing box. Furthermore, his knack to persistently do well for his country soared to an exciting new level this summer after he was bequeathed the honour of the World Cup top goal scorer, superseding legendary Brazilian giant, Ronaldo; his bounding attacking skills stole him the mighty 16 World Cup goals record. Though he has deemed bagging goals part of his job description, his undying flare upfront has been energetic and relished by supporters. His departure unfortunately deduces that Joachim Löw will no longer pluck with ease an experienced super sub from the bench, but his retirement has paved the way for fresh young talent to blossom internationally. Germany have demonstrated throughout history that nurturing players from a tender age has the ability to produce outstanding footballers, with masterful precision; German team members through the ages make netting goals look extraordinarily simple, and something of a hobby rather than a paid profession.
Without Lahm and Klose, Löw’s side must regroup and find comfort, guidance and influence in elders such as Bastian Schweinsteiger and Thomas Müller, even perhaps Sami Khedira and Mesut Özil. Die Mannschaft create space effortlessly for budding teenage aptitude and then lead them to success as they grow older; this is certainly the opportunity for new faces to establish themselves as potential key players in the future for Germany.
Klose has become Germany’s record goal machine, with 71 to his name from his 137 efforts internationally. Since 2001, the Polish native has been a regular for Germany and has enjoyed 4 World Cup tournaments, which would be a terrific achievement for any player, let alone somebody of Klose’s calibre. Thus, the 36-year-old has been an asset to the German national side for a great period of time, and his on-pitch prowess will surely leave many fans with some severe withdrawal symptoms.
It transpires that Klose will continue to play for “another 12 months” (Sky Sports, July 2014) in blue for Lazio in the Serie A (as the girlfriend of a Roma supporter, the L-word is something of high treason). Seemingly, the Roman side can only profit from Klose’s fiery attacking power for another season. A rush of competition between hardened rivals must be something rather invigorating to be part of, and Roma and Lazio have long been sparring partners. Rome itself harbours both sets of fans and has been party to much devastation after derbies have had serious repercussions. Regardless of the split in the Italian city, Klose has been a credit for the club and will no doubt be waved off in style next year.
Meanwhile, Lazio can benefit from Klose’s undivided attention on the pitch, whilst German nationals seek a new champion to seize centre stage.
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