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Klose calls time on Germany career

Miroslav Klose made World Cup history with his goal in Germany's 7-1 semi-final win against Brazil © Getty Images

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All-time World Cup leading goal-scorer Miroslav Klose has announced his retirement from international football after winning the tournament with Germany last month.

Klose, who broke Brazil star Ronaldo's World Cup record when he scored his 15th and 16th goals in the tournament in Brazil this summer, said bowing out after the Germans had lifted the trophy was the right thing to do.

"With the title in Brazil, a childhood dream came true," Klose, 36, told the official German FA (DFB) website.

Miroslav Klose equalled Ronaldo's record by scoring his 15th World Cup goal to make it 2-2 against Ghana © Getty Images

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"I am proud and happy that I was able to help shape this great success for German football."

Klose, who played 137 matches for his country over 13 years, said he had enjoyed "a unique and wonderful time and so many unforgettable moments with Die Nationalmannschaft".

After the World Cup victory, he had hinted that he could soon bring down the curtain on his international career to enable him to concentrate on club football at Lazio.

"For me, there can be no better time to close the international chapter," he said.

Thanks Miro for all the great years and moments that we shared. You have your place in list of the legends. Poldi pic.twitter.com/luPREk5u0U— Lukas-Podolski.com (@Podolski10) August 11, 2014

Klose's tally of 71 Germany goals puts him three ahead of Gerd Muller as the country's highest-ever scorer.

But he stressed: "Team success stood, and stands, above everything for me. I have reached a huge goal [the World Cup] - a goal that we shared as a team. But I have also reached goals I set myself personally. Whoever knows me knows that I am very ambitious. I am an attacker, and an attacker's job is to score goals."

He thanked the players and coaches he had worked with, saying current boss Joachim Loew "always gave me complete confidence" and adding: "That our cooperation ended with winning the [World Cup] title is great."

Loew returned the compliment, saying Klose - whose first Germany cap came as a substitute against Albania in 2001 - was "someone you can always rely on, an international star and one of the greatest strikers."

"When I joined the DFB as the assistant coach in 2004, Klose was already there," he said. "I am happy and grateful that I was able to work with Miroslav Klose."

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