Miroslav Klose: shirt 11, an eleven-storey block, flat 11, school 11

Miroslav Klose, a striker for Germany, was born in Opole, Poland, and scored sixteen goals at four World Cups, from 2002 to 2014, every time wearing number 11. For twelve years that was the World Cup record, until Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé passed it in 2026.

During the 2014 tournament a Polish sports site published an “alphabet” of Klose, and under J, for jedenaście, eleven, it told the rest of the story. His father, Josef, also wore number 11, for Odra Opole. In the 1970s, as a reliable player, Josef was allocated a flat in an eleven-storey block on the Chabry estate in Opole. The flat was number 11. From there everything was close, including the school Mirek went to: Primary School number 11.

Klose is also known for his fairness. In 2005, playing for Werder Bremen against Arminia Bielefeld, he told the referee that he had not been fouled in the box, and the penalty was withdrawn. In 2012, at Lazio, he did it again: he told the referee that his goal against Napoli had gone in off his hand, and it was disallowed. “There are so many young people who sit in front of the television,” he said, “that we should set a good example.”