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Hi guys,
I hope this is okay to post here :)
For a writing assignment in school, we were tasked to write three 500 words people portraits on three different people of our choice, each using a different research method. One of these will be later extended into a much longer piece of genre writing (approx. 1500-2000 words). I chose to do Miro for one of my portraits simply because he's awesome and I've yet to see really good articles on him in English publications so far. I'm not insinuating that I'm a good writer either, but I'd like to share this with you all at loewsmiserables.
Since I'm hoping to extend this piece for the genre writing assignment later on, I'd appreciate feedback on language, grammar etc. but also in terms of what I can hope to include in a much longer piece, things that I may have unconsciously overlooked, because after all, I'm not German and I've only been following football since last year's WC.
So enjoy: a 500 word portrait on our beloved Miro :)
He is well-known to soccer fans across the globe for his deadly finishing abilities and his trademark front-flip goal celebrations. At the age of thirty-two, Miroslav “Miro” Klose possesses an international strike record that many soccer players can only envy. Ever since he began his international career in 2001, Klose has played 108 matches for his country and netted 61 goals, giving him a strike rate of 0.56 goals per match for Germany. In addition to this, Die Mannschaft* has never lost a single match in which he has scored. It is little wonder, therefore, that the Polish-born striker is assured of a continued future in the German soccer team that is now comprised of mostly rising young stars in their early to mid-twenties.
At last year’s World Cup, soccer purists were worried that Klose might overtake Brazilian striker Ronaldo’s record of 15 World Cup goals (to date, Klose has 14), citing his lack of flamboyance and the fact that his goals are but mere flukes, created by other more creative players. However, it takes a good finisher and the ability to be in the right place at precisely the right time to score. Widely heralded soccer superstars Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney only scored a single goal between the three of them at the same World Cup, while Klose scored a whopping four goals of his own. His illustrious results and awards (including top scorer at the 2006 World Cup) speak for themselves.
In an environment where diving and staged fouls are commonplace to gain match advantages, Klose remains a fair and disciplined player. In one of his domestic matches, he famously refused a penalty awarded by the referee after appearing to be fouled by an opposing player, because, in his words, "[the] referees have it hard enough and we have to be honest to make their job easier”. The impressed referee reversed the decision and later lauded Klose as an example for other players.
Klose currently sits second on Germany’s list of all-time goal scorers, seven goals behind Gerd Mueller, but he insists he would never compare himself to the latter. He views the upcoming Euro 2012 tournament as his chance to match up to Mueller’s record, and it is certainly easy to see why. He is almost a permanent fixture for the tournament, and his team is well on track to qualifying for it, with five wins in five games, 17 goals scored and only one goal conceded. He is also working hard to maintain his current form with the ambition of being part of the team for the next World Cup in 2014.
His superstar status is recognised by his fellow players in his country and beyond. As his teammate Bastian Schweinsteiger said prior to Klose’s celebration of having played for his country for 10 years, “You can tell Miro's significance after each NT match, after each match in the Champions League. His jersey's always the first the opposite teams go for. No other."
* Die Mannschaft is the term used by non-German speaking media to refer to the German national soccer team.
Had to use "soccer" instead of football for this because I'm studying in Australia, where football = Aussie rules football, but anyway, thank you, all of you for having indirectly providing me with quotes, interviews, materials, pictures, ideas, statistics, analysis and the like that may have helped me in writing this.
Miro thanks you for your time :)
I hope this is okay to post here :)
For a writing assignment in school, we were tasked to write three 500 words people portraits on three different people of our choice, each using a different research method. One of these will be later extended into a much longer piece of genre writing (approx. 1500-2000 words). I chose to do Miro for one of my portraits simply because he's awesome and I've yet to see really good articles on him in English publications so far. I'm not insinuating that I'm a good writer either, but I'd like to share this with you all at loewsmiserables.
Since I'm hoping to extend this piece for the genre writing assignment later on, I'd appreciate feedback on language, grammar etc. but also in terms of what I can hope to include in a much longer piece, things that I may have unconsciously overlooked, because after all, I'm not German and I've only been following football since last year's WC.
So enjoy: a 500 word portrait on our beloved Miro :)
He is well-known to soccer fans across the globe for his deadly finishing abilities and his trademark front-flip goal celebrations. At the age of thirty-two, Miroslav “Miro” Klose possesses an international strike record that many soccer players can only envy. Ever since he began his international career in 2001, Klose has played 108 matches for his country and netted 61 goals, giving him a strike rate of 0.56 goals per match for Germany. In addition to this, Die Mannschaft* has never lost a single match in which he has scored. It is little wonder, therefore, that the Polish-born striker is assured of a continued future in the German soccer team that is now comprised of mostly rising young stars in their early to mid-twenties.
At last year’s World Cup, soccer purists were worried that Klose might overtake Brazilian striker Ronaldo’s record of 15 World Cup goals (to date, Klose has 14), citing his lack of flamboyance and the fact that his goals are but mere flukes, created by other more creative players. However, it takes a good finisher and the ability to be in the right place at precisely the right time to score. Widely heralded soccer superstars Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney only scored a single goal between the three of them at the same World Cup, while Klose scored a whopping four goals of his own. His illustrious results and awards (including top scorer at the 2006 World Cup) speak for themselves.
In an environment where diving and staged fouls are commonplace to gain match advantages, Klose remains a fair and disciplined player. In one of his domestic matches, he famously refused a penalty awarded by the referee after appearing to be fouled by an opposing player, because, in his words, "[the] referees have it hard enough and we have to be honest to make their job easier”. The impressed referee reversed the decision and later lauded Klose as an example for other players.
Klose currently sits second on Germany’s list of all-time goal scorers, seven goals behind Gerd Mueller, but he insists he would never compare himself to the latter. He views the upcoming Euro 2012 tournament as his chance to match up to Mueller’s record, and it is certainly easy to see why. He is almost a permanent fixture for the tournament, and his team is well on track to qualifying for it, with five wins in five games, 17 goals scored and only one goal conceded. He is also working hard to maintain his current form with the ambition of being part of the team for the next World Cup in 2014.
His superstar status is recognised by his fellow players in his country and beyond. As his teammate Bastian Schweinsteiger said prior to Klose’s celebration of having played for his country for 10 years, “You can tell Miro's significance after each NT match, after each match in the Champions League. His jersey's always the first the opposite teams go for. No other."
* Die Mannschaft is the term used by non-German speaking media to refer to the German national soccer team.
Had to use "soccer" instead of football for this because I'm studying in Australia, where football = Aussie rules football, but anyway, thank you, all of you for having indirectly providing me with quotes, interviews, materials, pictures, ideas, statistics, analysis and the like that may have helped me in writing this.
Miro thanks you for your time :)