German striker Miroslav Klose has broken the world cup all-time best scorer record when netting his 16th goal, on Tuesday, against Brazil in Belo Horizonte.
Ironically, this same city has witnessed the debuts of the previous record holder, 20 years ago, (15 goals) “El Phenomeno,” Ronaldo Luis Nazario De Lima.
On this stadium of the Mineirao, owned by Cruzeiro team, the German National Mannschaft destroyed the Brazilian defense and inflicted a score of 7-1 on a night that will be remembered as the “game of shame” for Brazilian football .
At the age 36, reaching 136 selections with his national team, Klose is playing his fourth World Cup in a row, scoring during the exercise 5 goals in 2002, 5 in 2006, 4 in 2010, and 2 in 2014.
At the 23rd minute, left alone by Brazilian defenders, he succeeded in beating Julio Cesar and scored his 71st international goal for Germany.
“This record means a lot to all of us. This record can be beaten by Thomas Müller, but in the meantime it is already something great for Miro (Miroslav Klose). This is an outstanding performance at his age , still playing at such a level,” commented the German coach Joachim Löw.
In this world cup, Klose had scored his 15th goal while equalizing against Ghana (2-2), only two minutes after coming in. A goal that the 36 years old fox commented on saying: “Fifteen pieces in twenty matches of the World Cup, it’s not so bad.”
Right after qualifying from the group phase, Klose was already thinking of breaking the record: “It tickles me already,” he confessed. “I want to be the Number One, it’s my biggest goal.”
However he declared right before the semi final that “It is not the most important thing for me right now.” That was his way to give priority to the qualification for the final.
It is to be noted that Klose remained on the bench against Algeria in the second round, and played 68 minutes during the quarter final game against France but did not make any difference.
The Moroccan Times
