Miroslav Klose has announced his retirement from international football with Germany, just over a month after helping Germany to win the FIFA World Cup in Brazil as well as becoming the mundial’s all-time leading goalscorer.

He stated after the announcement that it was a dream come true to win the 2014 World Cup, as there could not have been a better way to exit the international stage.

Klose, who plays for Italian club SS Lazio, made his debut for Germany in March 2001 in a 2-1 win against Albania, coming off the bench to score the winner in that match.

He went on to make 136 more appearances for Die Mannschaft to become the second most capped international behind Lothar Matthaus, and is also the European nation’s all-time leading goalscorer with 71 goals, ahead of Gerd Müller with 68 goals.

The 36-year old striker is expected to leave Lazio at the end of the 2014-15 league season, and possibly retire from football altogether.