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

Movie·2006·1h 37m

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

The untold story of the team that had America at its feet.

Directed By

Paul Crowder

Country

United Kingdom

Language

English

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Why watch this?

Tap below for a spoiler-free 3-bullet take.

// overview

The Story

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.

Producer

Vicki Cherkas, Mark Monroe

Cinematography

Nick Bennett

Editor

Benjamin Murray

Themes

new york citybeckenbauer

Production House

Passion Pictures
Cactus Three
ESPN Original Entertainment
GreeneStreet Films
BBC
Diamond Docs

Audience Score

71%

14 votes

Skip9%
Timepass22%
Go for it38%
Perfection31%

Where to watch

Region: US

Streaming data via JustWatch / TMDB. Click a provider to open in TMDB.

// cast

Cast

Franz Beckenbauer

Franz Beckenbauer

Self

Raphael de la Sierra

Self

Phil Woosnam

Self

Jay Emmett

Self

Werner Roth

Self

Peppe Pinton

Self

Giorgio Chinaglia

Self

Shep Messing

Self

Clive Toye

Self

Ahmet Ertegün

Ahmet Ertegün

Self

Matt Dillon

Matt Dillon

Narrator (Voice)

Carlos Alberto

Self

// crew

Crew

Paul Crowder

Paul Crowder

Director

John Dower

Director, Story

Vicki Cherkas

Executive Producer

Mark Monroe

Mark Monroe

Executive Producer, Story, Screenplay

Nick Fraser

Executive Producer

Richard Klein

Executive Producer

Nick Bennett

Director of Photography

Nick Bennett

Director of Photography

Richard Rutkowski

Director of Photography

Gino Crededio

Director of Photography

Richard Numeroff

Director of Photography

Peter Badel

Director of Photography

Benjamin Murray

Editor

Fisher Stevens

Fisher Stevens

Producer

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