World Cup: Argentina vs. Germany: Landmark game for German forward Miroslav Klose

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

If and when he steps onto the field against Argentina at Green Point Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday, Germany striker Miroslav Klose will achieve a milestone few German players can match.

The World Cup quarterfinal would be his 100th game for his country. Considering that he has scored 50 goals in his first 99 games, it was no wonder that Germany Coach Joachim Low was singing the Polish-born player’s praises Friday.

‘When somebody has 100 caps, I think that’s self-explanatory,’ Low said. ‘He is a player of enormous qualities and we can’t praise him enough because he has also scored 50 goals, or one in every second match. This is truly impressive, and we are talking about a very high level here.

‘After whatever match, or success, or goal, he remains very modest, and even after 100 caps he has a burning ambition.’

Said Klose, on the German soccer federation’s website: ‘The best thing is that it is not yet over.’

Of course, with Argentina up next in the quarterfinals, there might well be if not an end, then at least a pause.

-- Grahame L. Jones in Cape Town, South Africa