Birk Risa has interesting rituals before NYCFC games

When New York City FC signed Birk Risa, many thought he would act as depth and rotate with Maxime Chanot and Thiago Martins. Of course, as fans know, he ended up being an everyday starter sooner rather than later due to Chanot's abrupt summer departure.

Since then, Risa and Martins have worked well with one another, with the newer center-back adjusting to Major League Soccer rather quickly. He has played in 23 regular season matches, including 13 this year. He does well with cleaning up mistakes and has 28 clearances this season. That is second on the team behind Martins. He is then first with accurate long balls, with 42.

Risa also works well with his fellow defenders. Communication in the backline is never an issue. Sure, there can be rough patches during games, but that is when Risa's ability to clean mistakes comes into play. While Martins could be rated higher, the Norwegian player certainly is a solid defender who continues to grow as the season progresses.

Examining Birk Risa's interesting rituals

NYCFC fans also like Risa. While he is not a clear favorite, the player appears well liked. He is an interesting person as well, and everyone now knows his pregame rituals, which are very interesting. This was found out after the Hudson River Derby win.

According to Blue Balls NYCFC, the center-back does three things for a match. He likes to be alone, so he will spend money on hotel rooms before every fixture. He also must buy Calvin Klein. Whether that is regarding underwear or just anything of the brand is unknown. Then, he will put on his cleats the minute he enters the locker room. So, let's look at these rituals.

The first one is likely not common, but it would not be shocking if other players like Risa utilize a hotel room to be alone before a game. Being alone before anything big is understandable, but renting a room is interesting to hear. What kind of room does he rent? Is it a fancy hotel? Or is it just a place to be alone? These are all questions that might be going through a supporter's mind.

Some might think it is a fancy hotel since Risa's second ritual is about Calvin Klein. The brand is considered a luxury brand. Although, one can sometimes find certain items at a decent price. Nevertheless, the specification that it has to be Calvin Klein is very intriguing. This is definitely the oddest of the three rituals. Why that brand? What does the center-back buy? Is it a lot?

Finally, the last ritual is the most normal one. There is nothing wrong with putting on cleats or boots, depending on what one calls them, immediately. Risa probably wants to get a feel for his shoes that he will play 90 minutes in.

Nevertheless, the rituals together are extremely interesting. It would be nice to see what other players do before each game. Maybe Risa can convince his teammates to tell. Perhaps he is not the only NYCFC player with odd rituals. But if it works, then keep doing it.