Gallery of Greats: Germany's best 'Klose'

Miroslav Klose was part of the Germany team that won the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Klose is currently part of the Germany coaching staff as one of head coach Joachim Low's assistants.

The 21st edition of the FIFA World Cup will begin with Miroslav Klose still holding the record for the highest number of goals (16) in the history of the quadrennial tournament.

Klose has 24 World Cup appearances over four editions of the marquee event (2002, 2006, 2010, and 2014). The 40-year-old veteran was a complete centre-forward who could score different kinds of goals (headed goals, with his feet, be a poacher inside the box). In addition to being a potent goal-scorer, Klose was a player who created chances for his team-mates too.

Klose was the top-scorer at the 2006 World Cup in Germany; his five goals earning him the Golden Boot award.

 

Klose was the top-scorer at the 2006 World Cup in Germany; his five goals earning him the Golden Boot award. In 2002 and 2010, he finished the tournament as the second-highest goal-scorer.

Klose was part of the Germany team that won the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. He scored two goals in five appearances. One of his goals saved Germany from losing to Ghana in a group match and the other came in a sensational 7-1 thrashing of the tournament host, at Belo Horizonte.

Klose, who is currently part of the Germany coaching staff as one of head coach Joachim Low's assistants, will be hoping to pass on his experience to his compatriots — some of whom he has played with (like Thomas Muller, Mats Hummels, Jerome Boateng) and some he hasn't (Julian Brandt, Joshua Kimmich, Niklas Sule, among others).