Gustavo Adrián López

Gustavo Adrián López Pablo (born 13 April 1973) is a Argentinian former professional footballer who played as a left winger.

This article uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is López and the second or maternal family name is Pablo.

Gustavo López
Personal information
Full name Gustavo Adrián López Pablo
Date of birth (1973-04-13) 13 April 1973
Place of birth Valentín Alsina, Argentina
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position(s) Winger
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1991–1995 Independiente 74 (9)
1996–1999 Zaragoza 105 (12)
1999–2007 Celta 238 (22)
2007–2008 Cádiz 33 (2)
Total 450 (45)
National team
1994–2003 Argentina 32 (4)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

He spent the vast majority of his professional career in Spain, amassing La Liga totals of 310 matches and 33 goals during 11 seasons (13 in the country overall), playing for Zaragoza and Celta. He started his career with Independiente.[1]

An Argentine international for nine years, López represented the nation at the 2002 World Cup and two Copa América tournaments.

Club career

Early years and Zaragoza

Born in Valentín Alsina, Buenos Aires, López began his career with local Club Atlético Independiente in 1991. He won four major titles during his spell there, all arriving in his last years.[1]

In January 1996, López moved to Spain with Real Zaragoza for a club record 420 million pesetas,[1] making his La Liga debut on the 7th in a 1–1 home draw against Rayo Vallecano.[2] He scored five goals in 32 matches in his third full season, helping to the ninth position in the table; during most of his stint in Aragon, he partnered countryman Kily González.[3][4]

Celta

López rejoined former Zaragoza manager Víctor Fernández at Celta de Vigo in summer 1999, and quickly became an essential first-team unit. He netted twice in five appearances in the 2000–01 edition of the Copa del Rey, helping the side to the final against his former club (1–3 loss in Seville), then contributed with 33 games (29 starts, 2.232 minutes of action) in the 2002–03 campaign as the Galicians finished fourth and qualified for the UEFA Champions League for the first time in their history.

At the end of 2006–07, after having suffered his second relegation with Celta and having already renewed his contract twice by reducing his wages, 34-year-old López decided to leave the club, amassing official totals of 292 matches and 29 goals.[5] He retired at the end of the following season, also dropping down a level with Cádiz CF in Segunda División,[6] then worked as commentator for Canal+ on their coverage of La Liga and for PRISA regarding the Argentine top level, as well as running training camps for children.[7][1]

International career

López won 32 caps for Argentina and scored four goals, making his debut against Romania in December 1994. He represented the country at the 1997 and 1999 Copa América tournaments, being an unused squad member at the ill-fated 2002 FIFA World Cup in Japan and South Korea.

Additionally, López helped the under-23 side win the silver medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, scoring in the 3–1 group stage win over the United States.

Honours

Club

Independiente

Celta

International

Argentina

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References
  1. Cisneros, Ignacio Martín (22 April 2013). "Gustavo López: "Si estás cuatro años abajo es que en ningún lado haces las cosas bien"" [Gustavo López: "If you are four years down there you are not doing things right anywhere"]. El Periódico de Aragón (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  2. Andrés, Mariano (8 January 1996). "Al Zaragoza le faltan las ideas" [Zaragoza are not seeing it clearly]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  3. "Despedida de Gustavo López y Killy" [Farewell to Gustavo López and Killy]. El País (in Spanish). 31 May 1999. Retrieved 23 June 2013.
  4. Carpaneto, Carlos (9 June 1999). "En Zaragoza se ha formado una pareja" [We have a duo in Zaragoza]. Olé (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  5. "Gustavo López" (in Spanish). Yo Jugué en el Celta. 16 April 2008. Retrieved 23 June 2013.
  6. "Calderón y Gustavo López sólo piensan en la victoria ante el Alavés" [Calderón and Gustavo López only think about winning against Alavés] (in Spanish). La Voz Digital. 15 February 2008. Retrieved 23 June 2013.
  7. Borinsky, Diego (18 January 2012). "Gustavo López: "Hice todo para terminar mi carrera en Independiente"" [Gustavo López: "I did everything to end my career at Independiente"]. El Gráfico (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 August 2018.
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