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Dirty Tackle

34-year-old Miroslav Klose rules out somersaults to preserve himself for 2014 World Cup

Brooks Peck
Dirty Tackle

He will also start using step stools to get down from especially high jumps. (Getty)

As footballers get older, they need to get smarter about what they ask of their bodies if they want to carrying on playing as long as they possibly can. Sitting just one goal behind all-time World Cup leading scorer Retired Ronaldo, 34-year-old German striker Miroslav Klose is hoping to appear in a fourth a final world cup at Brazil 2014. And to help ensure he reaches that point, he's banning himself from doing anymore risky somersault goal celebrations.

From Reuters:

"The somersault... I think I can still do it but I honestly do not want to risk it because I want to still be around in 2014," he told reporters with a chuckle.

Klose also plans to encase himself in bubble wrap on off days and will only sleep in beds fortified with pillow walls to ensure that he doesn't fall out while he sleeps.

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