A Turkish Duo That Made History
The 1970s in New York were electric. Music, sports, and pop culture collided in a way the world had never seen before and two Turkish names were at the heart of it:
Ahmet Ertegün, the music mogul who reshaped the global soundscape, and Yasin Özdenak, the talented goalkeeper who stood alongside Pelé, Beckenbauer, and Chinaglia in the legendary New York Cosmos team.
Ahmet Ertegün: The Visionary
Born in Istanbul in 1923, Ahmet Ertegün grew up in a diplomatic family and moved to Washington, D.C. as a teenager. Fascinated by jazz, blues, and R&B, he co-founded the iconic Atlantic Records in 1947 with his brother Nesuhi Ertegün.
Under his leadership, the label launched the careers of superstars like:
Artists Launched by Ahmet Ertegün
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Ray Charles
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Aretha Franklin
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Led Zeppelin
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The Rolling Stones
But Ahmet’s passion wasn’t limited to music. He had another dream: to make football big in the United States. In 1970, together with Nesuhi and media executive Steve Ross, he co-founded the New York Cosmos.
“I wanted to make football in America as big as we made music.”
— Ahmet Ertegün
The Birth of the New York Cosmos
The breakthrough came in 1975, when Ahmet Ertegün achieved the unthinkable: he brought Pelé, the greatest footballer of all time, to New York. That single transfer changed American sports forever.
Soon, other global stars followed:
Cosmos Legends
- Franz Beckenbauer
- Carlos Alberto Torres
- Giorgio Chinaglia
- Johan Neeskens
With these legends, the Cosmos became more than just a football club — they became a global phenomenon. The Giants Stadium was packed with crowds of 70,000 fans, while celebrities like Mick Jagger, Andy Warhol, and Muhammad Ali watched from the stands.
Yasin Özdenak: From Galatasaray to the Cosmos
Yasin Özdenak, born October 11, 1948, in İskenderun, Turkey, began his professional career at İstanbulspor before moving to Galatasaray, where he won three Turkish league titles.
In 1976, Ahmet and Nesuhi Ertegün brought him to the New York Cosmos — a historic transfer that placed him in one of the most glamorous football projects in the world. Suddenly, a Turkish goalkeeper was sharing the pitch with Pelé, Beckenbauer, and Chinaglia.
For Turkish fans, Yasin’s move symbolized something bigger: it was proof that Turkish football could shine on the global stage.
Highlights and Achievements
Under Ahmet Ertegün’s Leadership
The Cosmos won five NASL Championships in 1972, 1977, 1978, 1980, and 1982.
During Yasin Özdenak’s Time
- Played in front of record-breaking crowds in the U.S.
- Faced legendary opponents, including an 18-year-old Diego Maradona in 1978.
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Became one of the few Turkish footballers to play alongside Pelé.
After his playing career, Yasin stayed with the Cosmos, becoming assistant coach under German manager Hennes Weisweiler from 1980 to 1981.
