Klose eyes 100th cap with same ambition
Reuters - Friday 02 July 2010, 13:25
CAPE TOWN - Germany striker Miroslav Klose
is only hours away from his 100th international cap but his
ambition to win remains the same as it was in his first game,
coach Joachim Low said on Friday.
"After whatever match, or success, or goal he remains very
modest and even after 100 caps he has a burning ambition," Low
told reporters before their World Cup quarter-final against
Argentina on Saturday.
Klose, who has scored 12 World Cup goals in three finals to
draw level with Pele, three behind top scorer Ronaldo on 15,
came into the tournament on the back of his worst season after
netting only three league goals for Bayern Munich.
"When someone wins 100 caps then that speaks volumes about
the quality of the player," said Low.
"In the past few years Klose has not allowed himself to get
out of his rhythm during a bad phase even if his body language
painted a different picture," said Low, who is expected to
deploy the 32-year-old as his lone striker for the third time in
this tournament.
Lw was criticised for picking Klose for the World Cup
after he had fired mainly blanks all season but the striker paid
back his trust in the first group match, scoring the opening
goal in their 4-0 win over Australia.
Klose then grabbed the lead again in their 4-1 win over
England in the second round.
"He deserves a big compliment because he has scored 50
goals. Scoring in every second match means very high level of
play. I think what he has been able to do as well is be
self-critical and be extremely modest," Low said.
The Poland-born striker scored on his first international
appearance, netting the winner two minutes from time in their
2-1 victory over Albania in March 2001.
"100 caps is something superb," said Klose on the German
federation website. "The best thing is that it is
not yet over."
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