Germany striker Miroslav Klose's hopes of securing the award for leading goalscorer at the World Cup finals could be hit by injury.

Klose, who has scored five times in the tournament, coulb be forced to pull out of Saturday's third place play-off Portugal.

Klose had a two-goal lead over the only players who are in a position to overtake him -- Lukas Podolski, his team-mate, and Thierry Henry, of France, who will play in the final against Italy on Sunday.

A goal in Germany's game against Portugal in Stuttgart would make all but certain of the Golden Shoe award for Klose, but the 28-year-old said that he was a doubt for the match.

"I have pain in the calf muscle," he said. "We'll have to see how it is on match day. I do want to play but if it makes no sense, I'll sit the game out."

Per Mertesacker, and Arne Friedrich, the Germany defenders, will also miss Saturday's match, with foot and knee injuries respectively.