Junior Burgos’ goals with the New York Cosmos this year are quite simple. That is to win, as in win championships.

 

The Cosmos will have plenty of opportunities to accomplish that. They will have a shot at three pieces of silverware this year -- the National Premier Soccer League, the NPSL Founders Cup and the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

 

"My goal as a team is to win a championship," Burgos said. "We're going to be competing for three trophies this season. My goal is to win all three of them. I think it is the expectation of the club and I expect nothing less. I think we have a really good coaching staff and we have a really good roster. It's exciting times for the New York Cosmos.”

 

Burgos, a Salvadoran international midfielder, said that he wanted “to be able to leave a little mark” with the team, which earned eight North American Soccer League titles.

 

"I want people to say I was this type of player and I gave the team something they can remember me by,” he said. “I want to make history with the club. That's my individual goal. My individual goal is to be the best I can be, to prepare myself to be the best player I can be to help the team out. If I do that, I have no doubt that in the end we’re going to reach our goals, which is to win."

 

Burgos has been playing just about his entire life.  In fact, he probably was destined to play soccer. His father Efrain Burgos was a well-known and respected Salvadoran player who wore his country's colors five times.

 

"Ever since I was a baby, I wanted to become a professional soccer player," said Burgos, who started playing the beautiful game at four.

 

When his family emigrated to the United States when he was 12, Burgos continued his pursuit of the beautiful game in youth soccer in San Francisco, then the San Francisco Seals (Premier Development League) and eventually for San Jose State and Cal Poly.

 

Burgos certainly had the ultimate role model and personal coach for soccer -- a professional player. He watched his father play for several top Salvadoran clubs, including FAS, Isidro Metapan, and Alianza.

 

"I would be kind of a team mascot," he said. "I would walk in with the players. I was around the players all the time in that environment. He was a great example for me. That's what I wanted to do for a living. I was lucky to have him on my side, to support me, and help me out and show me the way to go."

 

Not surprisingly, the two are still close as Burgos has asked his father for advice.

 

"That was a really important part of my childhood and it has been part of it to this day," he said. "He watches my games, analyzes different situations, and makes me a better player. I have been blessed, lucky to have a former player to be on my side."

 

Another former player, Cosmos head coach Carlos Mendes, felt the team was fortunate to have a talented player such as the 30-year-old Burgos on its side. He has a wealth of experience, having played for teams in the PDL, United Soccer League, NASL, and Major League Soccer.

 

"He's a special player," Mendes said. "He's a difference maker. He is a national team player and he's got a lot of other experience. He is a guy who can find pockets, can kill you with a final pass. He has that understanding. Obviously, very dangerous on set pieces. So, he's got to be a leader for us, lead by example. We're excited to have him. High quality player with a lot of experience and should be key for us this season."

 

Give former Cosmos midfielder Andres Flores, a fellow Salvadoran international, an assist for getting Burgos to join the Cosmos. Flores, who joined the Portland Timbers after four seasons with the club, gave the Cosmos a big thumb's up.

 

"I did speak to him about what the organization is about and what the expectations are," Burgos said. "I think it was a good challenge for me to take on, especially knowing the confidence that Carlos and coaching staff had given me to come here. It was important for me to be appreciated and wanted and I thought that this would be the perfect fit for me. They said only good things about the organization, which made it easier for me to come.

 

"It's a really exciting time for me. I've been wanting to be part of this organization for a while. They are a very top organization when it comes to everything you give to a player. I know the community, the name itself is huge, not just in America, but outside America as well. I'm just excited to be here and really happy with this opportunity."

 

Cosmos fans might remember Burgos playing against their favorite team in the past and being a thorn in their sides. During the 2014 NASL season, Burgos scored off a 40-yard free kick for the host Atlanta Silverbacks, a game that was decided on Cosmos midfielder Marcos Senna's free kick. The match also was memorable because it had been delayed for four hours by torrential rain but eventually was played to completion.

 

"At the time I could tell how important the New York Cosmos were and how unique the organization was," Burgos said. “That was great to see."

 

Burgos, who already has represented his country in two Concacaf Gold Cups, would love to make it three when the competition is held this summer. He has 20 caps to his credit.

 

"Definitely, it's one of my goals," he said. "I talked to Joe [Barone, Cosmos senior vice president] and the coaching staff here that it was important for me to continue to get called up. It looks good for me, it looks good for the club. It looks good for the community. We can attract more Salvadoran people. There's a big Salvadoran base, Spanish base here on Long Island."

 

And a big opportunity for Burgos and the Cosmos to win another title.