Werner Roth

When the Cosmos return to league play on Aug. 3, they will face a familiar foe at Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium. The Strikers were born in 1977 and they had many memorable contests playing in their famous red and gold hoops against the Cosmos before the franchise left Ft. Lauderdale after the 1983 NASL season. “We always had good competition against Ft. Lauderdale,” legendary Cosmos defender Werner Roth said. “It was always a special game.”

The news that local soccer product Carlos Mendes is coming home to wear the number 4 jersey for his hometown team, the New York Cosmos, is welcome news to local fans who know him well from his rise from the Long Island Rough Riders to the Rochester Rhinos and then with the Red Bulls and Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer. But to fans of a certain age, the news triggers memories of another outs...

Shep Messing was a goalkeeper for the New York Cosmos for three stints in the 1970's and 1980's. He was in net as the Cosmos famously won the NASL Championship in 1977 alongside Pelé, Giorgio Chinaglia, Carlos Alberto and Franz Beckenbauer. He was a local kid playing on a legendary team full of world class players. 

March 29th, 2011 - The story of Werner Roth rise to The New York Cosmos first team is the ultimate story of a local kid made good. Werner’s family emigrated to New York City when he was just a boy. He grew up playing soccer in the city in the German American Soccer League. In 1972, Gordon Bradley approached Roth to lead the defense of the recently formed New York Cosmos. Roth would develop into the club’s ro­ck at the center of The Cosmos’ defense, leading the club to the Soccer Bowl ’77 trophy as captain.