Local roots forge path for historic club’s rebirth
By Noah Zimmerman
noah@queensledger.com
The New York Cosmos remain one of the most historic clubs in American soccer history. Founded in 1970, the club has been graced by some of the world’s greatest players, bringing Pelé, Franz Beckenbauer, Raúl, Carlos Mendez, and many other icons to the Metro area.
While it hasn’t all been good, the Cosmos have enjoyed many memorable moments throughout their history in New York City, Long Island, and New Jersey. Now they’ll once again look to establish themselves as a premier spot for high level soccer in the Northeast, hoping to regrow the local roots that made them so popular in the past.
The Cosmos began play in the NASL, winning five titles before the league began to falter and eventually fold. The club attempted a revival with hopes to secure a Major League Soccer expansion franchise in the 2010s.
From 2013 to 2016 the Cosmos claimed three championships, the only team to win multiple league titles. They also claimed US Open Cup victories against MLS clubs like New York City FC and the New York Red Bulls.
Unfortunately the NASL lost Division II status in 2018 and significant financial issues pushed the club to fold in the years after. The Cosmos took a hiatus during the COVID pandemic, one that became permanent.
Now under former COO Erik Stover, the club is preparing to take the pitch once again. They’ve secured a home stadium at Hinchcliffe Stadium in Patterson, NJ, and are hoping to use that as a backbone for the club’s third iteration.
“The Cosmos are American soccer, good and bad. There’s been a lot of ups and downs,” said Stover, who is now serving as the club’s CEO. “A lot of soccer in the United States hasn’t been done properly and we want to be a part of changing that.”
To not only change the club’s culture but lead others in growth requires a major focus on building local communities, and that’s a central piece of the Cosmos’ plan. They’ve already partnered with roughly 20 teams, academies, and organizations to build stronger networks and pathways to competitive play.
“The whole idea is to be as inclusive as possible to work together in a way that’s cooperative and supportive,” said Stover. “Our plan is for that network to give people opportunities that they wouldn’t have otherwise and we’re off to a good start so far.”
Among these partnerships are youth academy affiliations with clubs like New Jersey’s Morris Elite SC. Other partners are scattered around the five boroughs and Long Island, building a map for the future of the Cosmos and their network.
The club is also turning to former stars and top-level soccer minds to jumpstart the club ahead of their 2026 season. Giuseppe Rossi has joined as a Vice Chairman and head of soccer, bringing him back to Northern New Jersey where he was born and raised. The Cosmos also named Italian coach Davide Corti as the club’s 9th manager and first in the USL era.
On the field, the Cosmos are also looking to recapture previous success. Their first signing was Sebastián Guenzatti, who was with the club during their run of championships in the 2010’s.
Growing up in College Point, Queens, Guenzatti started for four years for the soccer team at Francis Lewis HS before moving to his native Uruguay to join Peñarol’s academy. He signed his first pro deal with Huracán, but soon moved back to the US where he joined the Cosmos.
Guenzatti won two championships on the field and watched teammates seal a third in 2016 as he was injured for the final matches. He was also with the club for their historic triumph over NYC in the Open Cup.
“That first title when we first got together, we only had six months together as a team and it was a big shock for the league,” recalled Guenzatti about his first year back in NY. “We had a lot of hardworking young kids with a lot of talent and bright futures.”
“Seba and the crew did great things for us around 2013. We won some championships and brought soccer back in a different way to a lot of folks in the area,” added Stover.
In essence, that’s what the Cosmos aim to do in 2026 and beyond. Soccer in the US is at its best when local teams have passionate followings and that happens when teams make a point of partnering with the local community and making them a part of the club.
Guenzatti also looked back to his days growing up in Queens and his path to competitive soccer.
“My biggest memories are playing pickup. Right in front of my house there was an abandoned hockey rink so we used to get in there and play all day and all night. My dad would come bring us water,” he said. “Now they turned it into a public soccer field in Queens, right in College Point where I had a lot of memories.”
In their new form, the Cosmos know there is plenty to achieve and strive for in the future.
“A question we got a lot on Long Island was ‘yeah you won the league, but what’s next?’ and we didn’t really have an answer,” Stover said.
With USL on track to implement promotion and relegation in the near future, the Cosmos hope to make a push for their top division. Perhaps if the USL can get the Division 1 classification it’s been seeking, the Cosmos can finally return to top division play as they once were.
Until then, the focus remains on developing a competitive team and building a new Cosmos culture from the ground up.
“Building a culture that resonates in the community and gives long lasting opportunities to people is extremely important,” stated Stover about his first season goals. “Bringing in players who understand who we are like Seba, bringing in coaches like Davide Corti and directors like Giuseppe Rossi to build a foundation is the most important to me.”
“I’ve seen a lot of people fall through the cracks,” Guenzatti said about his experience growing up with the beautiful game. “I was lucky enough to end up on a team with unbelievable people to help me along the way and not everybody gets that chance. We should give everyone a fair chance to follow their dreams, whether that’s soccer or other things.”
