Frings calls time on playing career

Former German international midfielder Torsten Frings has retired from football aged 36, bringing to a close a playing career in which he made 79 appearances for his country.

Frings ended an 11-year association with SV Werder Bremen in 2011 when he joined Major League Soccer outfit Toronto FC – where he was subsequently named captain. "I really enjoyed my time in Toronto. I wish the club all the best this season and hopefully they can continue to embrace the winning spirit that I brought to the team," he said.

Frings featured for FC Bayern München and Borussia Dortmund but will forever be associated with two spells at Bremen, initially from 1997 to 2002. He returned in 2005, finishing as a runner-up in the Bundesliga and the UEFA Cup before collecting a second German Cup winners' medal in 2009, a decade after his first. He was also part of the Germany side that reached the 2006 FIFA World Cup semi-finals and UEFA EURO 2008 final.