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Once in a Lifetime: The Extraordinary Story of the New York Cosmos

Once in a Lifetime: The Extraordinary Story of the New York Cosmos

Documentary
2006, Movie, 1h 37min
In the 1970s the North American Soccer League marked the first attempt to introduce soccer to American sports fans. While most teams had only limited success at best, one managed to break through to genuine mainstream popularity - the New York Cosmos. The brainchild of Steve Ross (Major executive at Warner Communications) and the Ertegun brothers (Founders of Atlantic Records), the Cosmos got off to a rocky start in 1971, but things changed in 1975 when the world's most celebrated soccer star, the Brazilian champion Pele, signed with the Cosmos for a five-million-dollar payday. With the arrival of Pele, the Cosmos became a hit and the players became the toast of the town, earning their own private table at Studio 54. A number of other international soccer stars were soon lured to the Cosmos, including Franz Beckenbauer, Rodney Marsh, and Carlos Alberto, but with the turn of the decade, the team began losing favor with fans and folded in 1985.
Country: United States,United Kingdom
Cast:
Matt Dillon,
Pelé,
Franz Beckenbauer,
Ahmet Ertegün
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7.2
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8.0

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Cast & Crew

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Paul Crowder
Director
John Dower
Director
Matt Dillon
As Narrator (Voice)
Pelé
As Self (archive footage)
Ahmet Ertegün
As Self
Clive Toye
As Self

Frequently asked questions

What is Once in a Lifetime: The Extraordinary Story of the New York Cosmos about? Toggle content

"Once in a Lifetime: The Extraordinary Story of the New York Cosmos" is a documentary that tells the story of the rise and fall of the New York Cosmos, a soccer team that captured the hearts of Americans in the 1970s. With the help of legendary players like Pelé and Franz Beckenbauer, the team became a sensation, attracting celebrity fans and packing their home stadium. But their success was short-lived, and the team's decline was as dramatic as their rise. Through archival footage and interviews with the players themselves, this film takes a look at a unique moment in sports history when soccer fever gripped the United States.

Where can I stream Once in a Lifetime: The Extraordinary Story of the New York Cosmos? Toggle content

You can stream Once in a Lifetime: The Extraordinary Story of the New York Cosmos on: Amazon Prime ⎥ DocPlay

What movies are similar to Once in a Lifetime: The Extraordinary Story of the New York Cosmos? Toggle content

Some movies that have similar genres and were produced around the same time as Once in a Lifetime: The Extraordinary Story of the New York Cosmos include Grizzly Man, Maradona, the Golden Kid, Awful Normal, Jesus Camp, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, The Conscientious Objector.

 

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