After a spell for Finnish club IFK Mariehamn, Luck Mkosana re-signed with the New York Cosmos last week. Lucky went to college in the United States, and after meeting the coach of Dartmouth University at a camp in his native Zimbabwe, he knew going to the Ivy League school was the right decision for him. Coming straight from Zimbabwe, moving to the United States and attending such a rigorous school was definitely a bit of a culture shock.

“It was tough to manage academics and collegiate sports,” said Lucky. “And the league was hard, different from back home. But you learn to work hard at school and at soccer, and the chances come for you to make your mark.”

Lucky certainly made his mark for Dartmouth, becoming their all-time leading scorer as well as winning multiple awards for his performances over his four years in school.

After a few years moving around at some lower level teams, Lucky took the chance to jump up and joined the NASL for the Tampa Bay Rowdies. He impressed during his loan spell, and the Rowdies decided to sign him permanently. Lucky had a productive season for the Rowdies, making 26 appearances for the club. He then moved from Tampa to New York, signing with the Cosmos in 2014.

Lucky had a good spell with the Cosmos, making 52 appearances in the 2014 and 2015 seasons for the club. The highlight of his time in New York, many fans would argue, was a memorable goal against NYCFC in the Open Cup in the dying minutes of the game, which the Cosmos eventually won.

Lucky moved from the Cosmos to IFK Mariehamn and enjoyed his time in Finland. “It was a different place in terms of scenery, near the ocean, and I liked how it was a small town.”
 

It was a bit of an adjustment for Lucky, as the soccer played in Finland was markedly different from the soccer he played in the US. “In Finland, we stayed compact and had a defensive focus, while the Cosmos are more attacking in regards to their football,” he said. Lucky described his time in Finland as fun, but was also happy to return to the Cosmos.

“It feels great to be back,” Lucky said with a huge smile on his face. “It’s that sense of being together, being a family, and an overall sense of oneness that made me so excited to return.”

 
“Everyone knows what the coach wants, and I missed that unity a lot, which was part of why I returned,” Lucky revealed. “Coming back here feels like coming home.”
 

If his new spell with the Cosmos is anything like his past performance, Cosmos Country will be happy to provide Lucky with a warm homecoming.