Born: June 9, 1978, Opole, Poland
Early days. His mother, Barbara Jez, an ethnic Pole, was a member of the Poland women's national handball team. His father, Josef Klose, an ethnic German, played professional football in Poland for Odra Opole, before leaving Poland in 1978 and moving to France to play for AJ Auxerre. In 1985, Klose and his mother joined his father in Kusel, Germany. Klose learned his football at a village club, SG Blaubach-Diedelkopf, in the German seventh division. Klose had also successfully completed an apprenticeship to become a carpenter and had worked in this profession until joining the professional team of FC Kaiserslautern.
Club career Kaiserslautern. In his first 67 matches, Klose scored 33 goals. Werder Bremen a German Bundesliga club. In the 2005–06 season, he scored 25 goals. Bayern Munich On 26 June 2007, Bayern Munich 2007-2011. Klose made his Bundesliga debut in the game against Hansa Rostock in which he scored two goals. After a bright start to his Bayern career, Klose struggled during the latter half of the Bundesliga season. His total of 20 goals in all competitions did, however, play a significant role in helping the club to a league and cup double. Klose's second season at the club was a positive one. He left the club at the end of the 2010–11 season. Lazio. Klose signed a two-year contract with Lazio in 2011. He scored sofar five goals for Lazio. International career. In January 2001, the then coach of the Polish national team, Jerzy Engel, travelled to Germany to persuade Klose to choose to play for Poland. This request was declined by Klose, who said that "I have a German passport, and if things are still running this way, I have a chance to play for Rudi Völler." Klose's hopes were justified, as he would soon score for Germany. In an interview given to Przegląd Sportowy on 9 June 2008, Klose stated that the decision to play for Germany instead of Poland was not an easy one, and if Polish officials had been faster, he would be playing for Poland now.
2002 World Cup. Klose came to international prominence at the 2002 World Cup in Korea-Japan, because he scored five headed goals for Germany, finishing joint second highest goal scorer along with Rivaldo.
2006 World Cup Klose is the first German since Gerd Müller in the 1970s to become the top scorer at a World Cup. During the tournament, he formed a formidable strike partnership with Lukas Podolski, scoring eight goals between them as Germany topped the scoring charts with 14 goals in seven matches.
Euro 2008 Klose scored two away goals hich took his international goal tally to 33. Another highlight in Klose's career came in 2007, as he captained Germany and celebrated this honor by scoring both of his country's goals in a 2–0 victory over Wales. In the main tournament, Klose started the opening group game against Poland and assisted Lukas Podolski's two goals in a 2–0 victory.
2010 World Cup Klose was selected in Germany's final 23-man squad. Klose made his 100th international appearance in the quarter-final against Argentina, becoming only the sixth German player to reach the landmark. He then scored the second and fourth goals against Argentina (Germany winning 4–0), pulling him level with Gerd Müller's all-time German World Cup goal scoring record.
Euro 2012. During the Euro 2012 qualifiers, Klose has scored at least one goal in every single game he played. Gaining only six caps during the qualification campaign, he scored nine goals and provided two assists making him Europe's second most successful striker for this period . At the end of the qualifying campaign he had achieved 63 goal while playing for Germany.
Personal. Klose said in an interview in 2008 to Przeglad Sportowy that it would be best for him not to be called German or Polish, but European. As he stated in an interview to Der Spiegel in 2007, his family at home speaks Polish to each other, with his twin sons Luan and Noah learning German in Kindergarten. He has a Polish-born wife, Sylwia.
Awards and honors Bundesliga Top Goalscorer (25 goals): 2006; German Footballer of the Year: 2006; World Cup Silver Shoe: 2002; World Cup Golden Shoe: 2006; Selected for the All-star team in the 2002 and 2006 World Cups
Personal records. FIFA World Cup second all-time top scorer along with Gerd Müller: 14 goals (five in 2002, five in 2006, and four in 2010); Only player to have scored at least four goals in three FIFA World Cups; Scored at least five goals in Germany's second all-time top scorer: 63 goals; Germany's second most capped player behind Lothar Matthäus
