19 goals in 48 matches. 2015–16 season In the first match in the Bundesliga season against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, Kießling set up a record. In every first game of the earlier four Bundesliga seasons he scored one goal. Only Klaas-Jan Huntelaar was also able to score the same number of goals. On 12 December 2015, Kießling scored a brace and assisted two out of three of Javier Hernández's first hat-trick goals for Bayer Leverkusen at club level. On 19 April 2016, Kießling renewed his contract through June 2018. He finished the season with seven goals in 43 matches. 2016–17 season Prior to the 2016–17 season, Kießling stated that he might have to retire due to a "persistent hip injury." He finished the 2016–17 season with four goals in 20 league match, no goals in one German Cup match, and no goals in three European matches. 2017–18 season Kießling started the 2017–18 season by coming on as a substitute in the 77th minute in a 2–2 draw against 1899 Hoffenheim on matchday two. He completed his last professional game on 12 May 2018 (34th match day) in a 3–2 victory against Hannover 96 when he came on as a substitute in the 83rd minute for Lars Bender. He finished the 2017–18 season with eight appearances and 343 Bundesliga appearances in his Bayer Leverkusen career. International career Kießling made his international debut for the Germany national team in a friendly against Denmark on 28 March 2007. Almost a year after earning his previous cap, he was recalled to the team by Joachim Löw after showing good form in the 2009–10 season, and subsequently picked up his fourth cap on 13 May 2010, in a friendly vs. Malta, playing the full ninety minutes in a 3–0 win. He was one of the 23 players making up the Germany squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He came on as a substitute in two games, the knockout game with England, replacing Mesut Özil in the 83rd minute and during the "consolation" match for third place against Uruguay, where he came on as a substitute for Cacau in the 73rd minute. He later stated that he would refuse call-ups to the squad while Joachim Löw remained in charge, due to a perceived lack of respect by the German coach. With Mario Gómez and Miroslav Klose both injured, Max Kruse was nominated instead of Kießling for