The New York Cosmos
Crest
about the team
A key player in the campaign to make soccer successful in 1970s America, The New York Cosmos blazed a trail across all elements of US culture as they aimed to turn its population onto football.
Established in 1971, the club set about signing big name players such as Pelé and attracting huge audiences to their games. Winning a number of championships, the Cosmos seemed to be converting American audiences into football fans until television deals and Pelé's retirement saw the sport lose its appeal.
Last year, The New York Cosmos were reborn, with the club announcing a new era with Pelé as the club's honorary president and legendary striker Eric Cantona stepping into the role of Director Of Soccer.
Honours
North American Soccer League Champions: 1972, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1982
Finest Hours
The seasons in which Pelé and Giorgio Chinaglia led the Cosmos attack saw the club win three Championships in the late 1970s, with a record crowd of almost 78,000 fans watching one play-off match in 1977.
Perhaps the biggest individual game in the Cosmos' history was the occasion of Pelé's retirement, where the club played against Brazilian giants Santos at the Giants Stadium. Pelé played a half for both teams in a game televised around the world, which the Cosmos won 2-1.
Folk Heroes
Alongside the big names that Cosmos brought in, perhaps the most important player in their heyday was Italian striker Giorgio Chinaglia. Joining the Cosmos from Lazio, Chinaglia was in the prime of his career, and caused an uproar amongst Italian fans for leaving the Serie A champions. He was certainly a success with the Cosmos, and stands as the NASL's all-time leading goalscorer.
Another icon from the glory years of the Cosmos was defender Carlos Alberto, a Brazilian player regarded as one of the finest defenders of all time. Making 80 appearances for the club, Alberto was part of the NASL's All Star team on five occasions.
Fans
Thanks to their glamorous signings and location in the heart of America's cultural heartland, the Cosmos attracted a host of celebrities and influential characters as fans. The likes of Mick Jagger, Andy Warhol and Elton John regularly attended matches, while politician Henry Kissinger was also surprisingly found to be a big fan of soccer.
All Time Best XI
Yasin Ozdenak
Werner Roth, Franz Beckenbaeur, Carlos Alberto, Win Rijsbergen
Siegfried Stritzl, John Kerr, Vladislav Bogicevic
Pelé, Giorgio Chinaglia, Randy Horton
facts
Founded:
1971
Nickname:
The Cosmos
Ground:
TBC
Manager:
Eric Cantona
League:
North American Soccer League
Top Goal Scorer:
Giorgio Chinaglia (243 goals)
Kit:
White shirts with green trim, white shorts, white socks
