Take a look at Emmanuele Sembroni's Facebook page and you know that he espouses the power of positive thinking.

Just about every one of the New York Cosmos defenders’ posts talks about how everyone can keep their fitness – physical and mental – during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Create a lifestyle that you can live with. Identify the unhealthy habits and replace them with healthy ones. Get creative with your eating and exercise. Find balance between healthy and indulgent," read one of them.

"You deserve to be happy. You deserve to live a life that you are excited about. Don’t let others make you forget that," read another.

Sembroni, 32, not only pushes that philosophy of a sound body and mind, but he has lived it as well. He has tried to eat as well as he can. For example, after a Cosmos training session at the Sports Hub in Syosset, N.Y. in March, the veteran center back had his usual salad and a protein shake for lunch.

So, keeping focused on one's health is vital these days.

"This is very important in this moment to understand," he said. "We are facing something that we have never faced before. Staying positive and [keeping] an attachment to reality and what is going on, helps you. It helps you to talk with your family by spreading positive energy because everything is so negative from the news to people who are dying unfortunately. The economy is collapsing. I think it helps; positive message and positive leadership. If I behave in the opposite way, what's the point?"

About a month ago, Sembroni launched a program -- an intensive one for his followers and another one for fans.

"The project I am working on goes to take care of every single aspect of a human being -- the body, the mind, the spirit," said Sembroni, whose he and his wife, Marguerite Terruso traveled to Hollywood, Fla. until training begins again. "These three components have to go one along with another to have a happy and healthy lifestyle. You can have an amazing body, but how do you get this amazing body? So, taking care of it through sports, regeneration, nutrition. How do you get to the level that you want? Consistency, hard work, dedication, passion. Spirit is very important to meditate. It is very important to have a good heart. A good heart brings a lot of other hearts around you. The message is giving without asking."

The sessions are held on Tuesdays and Fridays at 1 p.m., which includes a 45-minute body class and another hour about stretching, relaxation and conversation.

"Everybody can do it at their own pace," Sembroni said. "It's not only for athletes, but also for people who are not athletes."

On May 15, Sembroni said that he will start a two-week challenge that will provide fitness, nutrition and spiritual information. "It's going to be a two-full weeks of body transformation," he said.

Fans interested in finding out more or about enrolling in the program can visit:

https://www.facebook.com/emmanuele.sembroni

https://www.instagram.com/emmanuele.sembroni

Sembroni has put his wallet where his heart was, making several monetary donations, most recently for a nurses’ fundraiser in New Jersey.

"I just connected with my heart," he said. “Every occasion I have to support the community, I do it without even thinking.”

When the word is given, Sembroni will venture back to Long Island to start training with his Cosmos teammates. Like just about every teammate, he hoped that it would happen sooner than later.

"I really miss it," said Sembroni, who has been in touch with his teammates. "I miss the team, I miss the club, I miss the fans, our organization, the games. I am very much looking forward to starting again. Also, the good chemistry that we created between the coach and the team. It's very strong.

"We just want to start where we left off and prepare ourselves for the most to win every single possible game. We are the Cosmos and we have an obligation to go onto the field to win. Our name is too big ... Our main focus is to win everything possible."

The Cosmos are slated to compete in the National Independent Soccer Association fall season, which starts in August.

Sembroni was excited to hear he was among 20 Cosmos greats selected by the supporters’ group Brigada 71. His likeness was used on Subbuteo-themed pieces.

"Pele, Raul, Beckenbauer, all of these great champions," a surprised and ecstatic Sembroni said. "This really made me proud. It will something that will be with me forever."

"I want to say thank you to all my teammates, staff, family, fans to be nominated. This is a great honor. I'm blessed for writing a page in the history of the club. I am more motivated to come back and play and do better than what I did last season. I think there are no limits in life. So, my goal is to come back and be a leader for my teammates, to be an example, and also for the people for this glorious club, the Cosmos."