Germany's WC hero Klose announces international retirement

Germany's all-time leading goalscorer Miroslav Klose, who helped his country to lift their fourth World Cup trophy in the summer, has announced his retirement from international football.

The Lazio striker became the record scorer in the tournament history when he helped Germany win its fourth World Cup trophy this summer in Brazil. Klose, who totaled 71 goals in 137 internationals, became the third player to score at four World Cup finals.

Klose said that he is happy and proud to have contributed to this big success for German football, The BBC reported.

Poland-born Klose, who scored twice in the tournament in Brazil to surpass Brazilian Ronaldo's competition record of 16 goals, said the time was right to end a 13-year career with the German national team.

Klose is the second member of the German squad to quit after the tournament following captain Philipp Lahm last month. The striker said that winning the title in Brazil was a childhood dream come true.

Klose made the first of his 137 international appearances in 2001 and broke Gerd Muller's 40-year-old record of 68 goals in June.

Germany manager Joachim Low said that he was proud to have worked with the former Bayern Munich forward Klose.

Low said that he has a lot of respect for Klose's decision as well as for the striker's unbelievable national team career that is all but impossible to trump.