- Address: 1 Charles Lindbergh Boulevard, Uniondale
- Country: United States
- Capacity: 10,000
- Opened: 1984
- Main use: American football, football
- Tenants: New York Cosmos (football)
Extra stadium info – Mitchel Athletic Complex Stadium
The Mitchel Athletic Complex Stadium is among the main sports venues on Long Island. The New York Cosmos use the stadium for home games. In 1978, The Cosmos drew an average home attendance of 47,000 in the North American Soccer League, which became a record for the league. The Brazilian football legend Edson Arantes do Nascimento, commonly known as Pelé, is one of the former players of the New York Cosmos. He signed with the Cosmos in 1975 after playing hundreds of matches for Santos Futebol Clube from Brazil. Pelé was elected Athlete of the Century by the IOC.
Pelé at the FIFA World Cup
Edson Arantes do Nascimento won the FIFA World Cup three times with the national football team of Brazil. In 1958, he won his first FIFA World Cup title after the national football team of Brazil defeated Sweden 5-2. Pelé scored twice against the Swedes. He also won the world championship for national football teams in 1962. In 1970, Pelé won this third FIFA World Cup title after beating the Italian Republic with Brazil. He scored the first goal of the 1970 FIFA World Cup final.
Raúl González Blanco and the rivals of the Cosmos
The New York Cosmos signed the world famous Spanish striker Raúl González Blanco, who became the UEFA Champions League’s all-time leading goalscorer, in 2014. Raúl played for Real Madrid from Spain, Schalke from Germany and Al-Sadd from Qatar before he joined the New York Cosmos. The Cosmos defeated their rivals Red Bull New York in their first-ever cup match against them. They also defeated their rivals New York City Football Club, one of the first sports clubs from New York with 1 million followers on its main social media page, in their first-ever cup match against them.
