NOTEBOOK | Raúl And Marcos Senna's Retirement Press Conference

The New York Cosmos hosted a press conference on Oct. 27 at the Hispanic Federation in Lower Manhattan as two of the game’s legends prepare to hang up their cleats. Raúl and Marcos Senna will retire at season’s end after illustrious careers in La Liga and the Spanish national team before they joined the Cosmos.

The pair shared their thoughts on their careers and their decisions to step away from the game in 2015. Here are a few tidbits:

Living Up To Expectation: Senna joined the Cosmos ahead of the club’s return to the field in 2013. The midfielder was on the Best XI that season and scored the game-winning goal against the Atlanta Silverbacks to win an NASL title. Senna came to New York from Spanish club Villarreal.

“These past three years with the Cosmos have surpassed my greatest expectations,” Senna said. “Everything that was said about the club and the project at the onset I’ve been convinced of it in my time here. Once I got here, it was better than I imagined. I couldn’t be happier.”

Senna has featured more than 50 times for the Cosmos and could potentially play in three more matches should New York reach The Championship Final in a few weeks.

“I decided to prolong my stay because I spoke to Gio, and I spoke to the group,” he said. “I love the game and this is why I decided to continue to finish the season out.”

Friends And Teammates: Raúl, who joined the Cosmos, before the 2015 season noted that, along with Cosmos head coach Giovanni Savarese, Senna was vital in his decision to join the NASL club.

“The first two people I got in touch with about coming to the Cosmos was Giovanni Savarese and Marcos about the project and what it felt like to play in New York,” he said.

They featured for the Spanish national team and were on the 2006 World Cup squad together. Both players added that it was a joy to play with each other.

 “It’s been a privilege to play next to him – to again play with him after our time with the national team – and against him with our time at Villarreal and Real Madrid,” Senna said.

What’s In A Number?: Both Raúl and Senna were asked what a number means to players. Raúl noted that he wore several different numbers with Real Madrid and at the Spanish national team, but noted that the number is secondary.

“The most important part of the shirt isn’t the number on the back,” he said. “It's the crest on the front.”

When asked about the significance of the No. 7 shirt in regards to New York sports history, including Mickey Mantle, Rod Gilbert and others, Raúl cast a vote for the Yankees’ cross-town rivals saying, “Let’s go Mets!” referring to the start of the World Series.

Dreams Fulfilled: Both players had incredible careers, winning multiple pieces of silverware. Raúl noted: “I lived the dream of a child and I’ve left friends in every league that I played. I leave the game happy because I won a lot, but I could’ve lost a lot. I could’ve won more things, but I could’ve lost whatever I have won in my career.”

He added, “The best is yet to come,” when referring to playing with Senna. The Cosmos host a semifinal match at MCU Park in the Coney Island section of Brooklyn on Nov. 7. The Spanish greats could crown their final season with the Soccer Bowl trophy.

Feeling Lucky: Coach Savarese was able to coach two of the best players in a generation and for the coach that began his professional first-team career coaching New York in the 2013 season, he couldn’t have been happier with getting a chance to just watch the duo.

“I’m a lucky man,” he said. “First because two of the best players in the history of the game accepted to come play for the New York Cosmos. As a coach I love to go to practice every day and watch the players play in practice. You’ve seen them play on the weekends, but you haven’t seen them play in practice. In practice, they come up with some things they fill your day.”

Gifts Galore: Raúl and Senna were given a slew of gifts at the end of the press conference. They included framed jerseys signed by their teammates (photo above); a proclamation from the New York State Assembly making Oct. 31 Raúl and Senna Day (sorry, trick or treaters!); and the New York Giants former punter Sean Landeta, who won two Super Bowls, presented autographed Giants jerseys and footballs, melding football with fútbol.