Helmut Rahn, Gerd Müller and Jürgen Klinsmann - the German striker Miroslav Klose is in such a famous company today after a successful performance by the striker at the World Cup.
Despite all the successes of his predecessors, Klose's achievements stand apart.
Having scored a goal in the quarterfinal match against Argentina, Klose was the only German footballer to chalk up 5 or more goals in two world championships.
If we take world achievements, then only Teofilo Cubilas from Peru can boast a similar result. The famous Peruvian striker scored his goals at the World Cup in 1970 and 1974.
Helmut Rahn, who died in 2003, was at one time very close to this achievement. The Boss scored 4 goals at the 1954 World Cup and another 6 at the 1958 World Cup.
Gerd Muller, the record holder for the number of goals scored at one World Cup (10 goals at the 1970 World Cup), added another 4 goals to his piggy bank at the 1974 World Cup.
The current Bundestrener Jürgen Klinsmann was able to hold 5 goals at the 1994 World Cup, and then 3 more in 1998.
At the 2002 World Cup, Klose scored all of his 5 goals during the group stage. The story almost repeated at the current World Cup, however, the goal against the Argentines was the first goal scored by the German striker at the end of the games in the group.
In the match of the 1/8 finals against Sweden, Klose failed to hit the opponent’s goal, but was recognized as the best player by the mast according to FIFA.
Forward “Werder Bremen” hopes that he will be able to hit the gates of the Italian team, which awaits the Germans in the semifinals. Miroslav has a hope to surpass his famous predecessors, but the most important thing for Klose, of course, is to win the World Cup.