Klose, who has scored 12 World Cup goals in three finals to draw level with Pele, three behind top scorer Ronaldo on 15, came into the tournament on the back of his worst season.
Germany striker Miroslav Klose is only hours away from his 100th international cap but his ambition to win remains the same as it was in his first game, coach Joachim Loew said on Friday.
"After whatever match, or success, or goal he remains very modest and even after 100 caps he has a burning ambition," Loew told reporters before their World Cup quarter-final against Argentina on Saturday.
Klose, who has scored 12 World Cup goals in three finals to draw level with Pele, three behind top scorer Ronaldo on 15, came into the tournament on the back of his worst season after netting only three league goals for Bayern Munich.
"When someone wins 100 caps then that speaks volumes about the quality of the player," said Loew.
"In the past few years Klose has not allowed himself to get out of his rhythm during a bad phase even if his body language painted a different picture," said Loew, who is expected to deploy the 32-year-old as his lone striker for the third time in this tournament.
Loew was criticised for picking Klose for the World Cup after he had fired mainly blanks all season but the striker paid back his trust in the first group match, scoring the opening goal in their 4-0 win over Australia.
Klose then grabbed the lead again in their 4-1 win over England in the second round.
"He deserves a big compliment because he has scored 50 goals. Scoring in every second match means very high level of play. I think what he has been able to do as well is be self-critical and be extremely modest," Loew said.
The Poland-born striker scored on his first international appearance, netting the winner two minutes from time in their 2-1 victory over Albania in March 2001.
"100 caps is something superb," said Klose on the German federation website (www.dfb.de). "The best thing is that it is not yet over."
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}