I must admit, I was shocked when Alexander Ring retired from international play last week. Not only is the Ringmaster entering the prime of his career, he has also been a mainstay with Finland since 2011, accumulating 44 caps in seven years. Add in the fact that he has been an absolute force since arriving to New York City FC last season, and it’s hard to see why the Finnish Destroyer would decide to ply his craft exclusively to the club level from here on out.
The reason: it’s absolute hell on the defensive midfielder’s body.