The New York Cosmos have signed Villarreal midfielder Marcos Senna, pending a physical exam. He will make his debut on American soil Aug. 3, when the Cosmos open their reboot season in the NASL at Hofstra University.
“This is a very special moment for me in joining the Cosmos because I face a new challenge, but at the same time it has been a difficult decision to leave Villarreal after 11 seasons,” said Senna, 36, who began his career in his Brazil but spent the past 11 seasons at Villarreal, where he played over 300 games, including helping the Brazilians to the UEFA Champions League semis and a second-place La Liga finish.
He also captained both Villarreal and the Spanish national team, for whom he had 28 caps and won Euro 2008, when he was picked for the UEFA Team of the tournament.
“We’re delighted to add Marcos Senna to the New York Cosmos,” said coach Giovanni Savarese. “His reputation in the game and his achievements over his career on the field speak for themselves.’’He’s the type of player that makes everyone on his team better and his leadership and experience will be invaluable for us.”