By Paul Nicholson
March 17 – The New York Cosmos, one of the world’s most iconic football club names, has announced that they will travel to Cuba for a friendly match against the Cuban national team on June 2. The Cosmos will be the first professional sports team to play in Cuba since 1999.
While having a history as probably the US’s most glamorous team ever – in the 70s the team boasted some of the world’s greatest ever players including Pele, Franz Beckenbauer, Giorgio Chinaglia, and Carlos Alberto – the club currently plays in the North American Soccer League (NASL) and has steadfastly refused to give up its independence and self determination that a switch to becoming an MLS franchise would involve.
The NASL is the second tier of US Soccer alongside competing league the USL. For the coming season the club has just announced the signing of Spanish and Real Madrid legend Raúl.
Seamus O’Brien, chairman of Cosmos, said: “Little did I think that merely three months after being with many of you across town introducing the legendary Raúl as our latest signing, that we would be back here so soon for such an historic announcement.
“When we started out on our reboot season, two years ago, we encouraged everybody to join with us on what I for one believe was always going to be one of the great sporting journeys. Back to the top of North American soccer, and a respected position on the global stage.
“From our signing of Emirates, the world’s biggest corporate supporter of global soccer, as our founding partner, to the submission of our plans to build a new home for the team at Belmont, achieving our sixth Soccer Bowl championship in 2013, the first New York soccer derby of the modern age in the U.S. Open Cup in 2014, and then of course, in December, signing the Spanish legend Raúl. The journey has so far already exceeded most people’s expectations.”
Cosmos have built a reputation as being a traveling side and just recently played in El Salvador. Cuba will be the 42nd country where the Cosmos have played
“Part of our vision for the team, over time, is not only to become a key player in the global soccer economy of tomorrow, but also to be a natural global ambassador for the United States, and in particular, for the great city and state of New York'” said O’Brien.
Cosmos will be the first professional team in sports to visit Cuba since President Obama’s historic re-opening of diplomatic relations three months ago, after a 54-year break.
The announcement of the fixture was attendeded by Giovanni Savarese (pictured left), head coach of the New York Cosmos, and Cuba’s head coach Walter Benitez (pictured right). Also attending the news conference were US Congressmen Charles Rangel and Gregory Meeks.
Benitez said it was a privilege to have played against the Cosmos in the 1970s. “This will be a historical match and we will enjoy it,” he said, adding that he is looking forward to “a competitive match that will support our efforts to get to the next level.”
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