Claudio López

Claudio López is one of the greatest legends in the history of Valencia CF, with whom he reached a Champions League final in 2000. A brilliant winger and goalscorer, he left his mark on the La Liga of his era.

712

Games

207

Goals

Assists

Trophies

1991/92 Estudiantes (ARG)

1992/96 Racing Club (ARG) 128 matches, 32 goals

(Argentine League: 116 matches, 25 goals)

(AFA Centenary Cup: 6 matches, 5 goals)

(Supercopa Sudamericana: 6 matches, 2 goals)

1996/2000 Valencia CF (ESP) 176 matches, 72 goals

(Spanish League: 126 matches, 47 goals)

(Spanish Cup: 15 matches, 8 goals)

(Spanish Super Cup: 2 matches, 1 goal)

(Champions League: 18 matches, 6 goals)

(UEFA Cup: 10 matches, 5 goals)

(Intertoto Cup: 5 matches, 5 goals)

2000/04 Lazio (ITA) 144 matches, 40 goals

(Italian Championship: 106 matches, 29 goals)

(Italian Cup: 10 matches)

(Italian Super Cup: 1 match, 2 goals)

(Champions League: 18 matches, 7 goals)

(UEFA Cup: 9 matches, 2 goals)

2004/07 América (MEX) 100 matches, 28 goals

(Mexican Championship: 87 matches, 27 goals)

(Mexican Super Cup: 2 matches)

(CONCACAF Champions League: 8 matches, 1 goal)

(Club World Cup: 3 matches)

2007/08 Racing Club (ARG) 34 matches, 10 goals

2008/09 Kansas City Wizards (USA) 65 matches, 15 goals

(US League: 57 matches, 13 goals)

(US Open Cup: 5 matches, 1 goal)

(North American Super League: 3 matches, 1 goal)

2010 Colorado Rapids (USA) 11 matches

With the National Team :

54 caps, 10 goals

(Friendly matches: 18 caps, 2 goals)

(World Cup Qualifiers: 28 caps, 7 goals)

(World Cup: 8 caps, 1 goal)

First cap: May 13, 1995 against South Africa (1-1)

Last cap: August 20, 2003 against Uruguay (3-2)

Unofficial: 1 cap

Olympic: 17 caps, 7 goals

Claudio Javier López

Born July 17, 1974 in Rio Tercero (ARG)

Argentinian, Left-Winger/Striker, 1m78

Nickname: "El Piojo"

From Argentine football to European football

Claudio López was born on July 17, 1974, in Rio Tercero, Argentina. He began his career at 17 with Estudiantes before being recruited by Racing Club, where he quickly became a regular starter. A highly skilled winger, he quickly made a name for himself in Argentina. He is known for his fine finishing and his great running speed. He is a winger who can play as a central striker, earning him a high reputation from his coaches for his versatility.

With a powerful shot, he can score from anywhere on the pitch, from the middle of the pitch, the edge of the box, or one-on-one against the goalkeeper. Left-footed, he had a silky and efficient foot. The change in status came in 1996 when he moved to Europe.

An impressive prime

Recruited by the great club Valencia in the mid-1990s, he quickly established himself in the squad, playing as a winger or up front. The €4 million investment quickly paid off, as his contribution was significant. Between the 1998/99 and 1999/2000 seasons, he was at the top of his game and among the best players in the world:

1998/99: 46 matches, 36 goals, 11 assists

1999/2000: 54 matches, 18 goals and 21 assists

During his final season at Valencia, he reached the Champions League final, which he lost 3-0 to Real Madrid. His Champions League season was phenomenal, with 6 goals and 10 assists in 18 matches. He notably scored one goal and provided one assist in the semi-final against FC Barcelona.

A disappointing end to his career

Having become both beautiful to watch and decisive, the player was signed for €35 million by Lazio. In his first official match with the Italian club, he scored two goals against Inter Milan and won the Italian Super Cup, all signs were looking good for the 26-year-old to reach his full potential.

But the future would be much more complicated, as the player suffered several injuries, including a torn lateral knee ligament. In four years in Italy, he appeared in 144 matches and scored 40 goals, a ratio well below his last two seasons in Spain.

And at 30, he left Europe to try a new experience in Mexico, where he won the CONCACAF Champions League with América. He then had several adventures in Argentina and the USA before retiring from football in 2010 at the age of 36.

An Argentinian international between 1995 and 2003, he played a total of 54 matches, scoring 10 goals and providing 13 assists. He played a sporadic starting role. A silver medalist at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, he never won a major trophy with his country.