Football
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Miroslav Klose presented with 'Golden Victoria' award by Angela Merkel

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has presented Miroslav Klose with the "Golden Victoria" integration award following his achievements with the Germany national team.

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Klose arrived in Germany as an eight-year-old, after being born in Poland, and went on to become the Nationalmannschaft's all-time leading scorer with 71 goals.

The 36-year-old also played a part in the 2014 World Cup win, with the victory against Argentina to clinch the trophy proving to be the last game for his country after he announced his retirement from international football last month.

"Tonight you will get a different trophy," Merkel said at the presentation, in quotes reported by the German Football Association's official website. "You have deserved it also because of football, but not only because of that. You've set an example of how important it is to win as a team.

"You are a very appealing figure, and a wonderful role model in football. Your life story also tells us something about the country. Your team with whom you've won the World Cup is one of the best showpieces of this country."

The Lazio striker, who won 137 caps in total for Germany, added: "It's a great honour for me to accept this award. It means a lot to me. The national team is the best example of something you can integrate into."

The "Golden Victoria" is an integration award presented by the Deutschlandstiftung Integration -- the German Integration Foundation -- which is fighting for equal opportunities for people with an immigrant background. Merkel is the patron of the foundation.

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