BERLIN: Miroslav Klose, the all-time World Cup top scorer, announced his retirement from Germany’s national squad on Monday, a month after the team won the title for the fourth time.

Poland-born Klose scored twice in the tournament in Brazil to become the highest-scoring player in the tournament’s history with 16 goals, one ahead of Brazilian Ronaldo.

It was Klose’s fourth World Cup tournament and the 36-year-old leaves the German national team as a World Cup winner after helping Joachim Loew’s side to their first global crown since 1990 when they defeated Argentina 1-0 in the Rio-hosted final.

With a career total of 71 goals, Klose is also the highest-scoring player for Germany. He is also the second most capped Germany player with 137 games.

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

The Lazio frontman, who won two German titles with Bayern Munich following spells with Kaiserslautern and Werder Bremen, said the time was right to end a 13-year career with the German national team adding that he had “fulfilled a childhood dream with the title in Brazil” and lived “unforgettable moments with the national team”.

“Winning the title in Brazil was a childhood dream come true,” Klose 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.

“The success of the team stood and always stands for me in the highest place. With the national team I achieved our greatest goal, a goal which we had together within the squad.

“In addition, I achieved personal goals and those who know me know that I am very ambitious, but I am a striker and the task of a striker is to score goals. Therefore the records never concerned me, but it was always about giving my best for the team.”

Published in Dawn, Aug 12th, 2014