Miroslav Klose confirms retirement and joins Germany coaching staff

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Former Bundesliga striker Miroslav Klose, the leading scorer in FIFA World Cup history on 16 goals, has called time on his playing career and will join Germany's coaching staff.

The 38-year-old, who represented 1. FC Kaiserslautern, SV Werder Bremen, FC Bayern München in a distinguished playing career, was out of contract at SS Lazio at the end of last season.

Watch: Miroslav Klose's top five Bundesliga goals:

"I celebrated my greatest successes with the national team and it was a wonderful and unforgettable time," Klose said. "That's why I'm delighted to return to the DFB. In the past few months, I have thought a lot about continuing my playing career, but also about pursuing other avenues, namely becoming a coach."

Klose hangs up his boots as Germany's record international scorer with 71 goals from 137 games and as the all-time leading scorer at the World Cup finals with 16 goals.

His Bundesliga career yielded 121 strikes from 307 appearances. He won a Bundesliga and DFB Cup double with Bayern in 2007/08 and 2009/10.