Racing
Which team did Claudio López (footballer) play for from 1992 to 1995?
Claudio López ( footballer ) Claudio Javier López ( , born 17 July 1974 ) is a retired Argentine footballer , who played as a forward . Nicknamed Piojo ( louse ) , he is best known for his spells with Valencia in Spain and Lazio in Italy . López also had a notable impact in the Argentina national team , participating in two World Cups . Club career . Early career . López began his professional career with Estudiantes de La Plata in his native Argentina in 1990 as a 16-year-old . However , he moved to Racing the next year , where he would remain until he transferred in 1996 to Spanish club Valencia . Europe . After a slow start in 1996-97 , Claudio López would enjoy a prolific spell with Valencia over the 3 years that followed , averaging 20 goals each season between 1997–98 and 1999-2000 . That included a season best in 1998-99 which saw him find the net on 30 occasions across competitions to become the clubs top scorer ( 3rd best in la Liga behind Raul and Rivaldo , despite taking fewer penalties than his rivals ) . Valencia entrenched their status as one of Spains emerging clubs throughout the late 1990s , rising from their usual mid-table position to 4th in 1998-99 and 3rd in 1999-2000 , which was Lopezs last season with the club . The Argentine formed a devastating partnership with Romanian Adrian Ilie and played alongside such stars as Jocelyn Angloma , Santiago Canizares and Gaizka Mendieta , who would later be his teammate at Lazio as well . López remained with Valencia for five years , helping the team to the final of the UEFA Champions League in the 1999–2000 season , when he was transferred to Lazio of Serie A for €35 million . During the first half of his spell in Italys capital , he was partnered with compatriot Hernán Crespo in the front-line . However , López suffered from injury problems during his time at Lazio . During the 2000–2001 UEFA Champions League , he scored an direct goal from a corner kick against Anderlecht in the Stadio Olimpico . After Crespo left for Inter in the summer of 2002 , López was partnered with newcomer Bernardo Corradi . They formed a solid partnership that yielded a combined 25 Serie A goals as Lazio finished 4th to qualify for the Champions League under new coach Roberto Mancini . The Argentine scored 15 of those goals , his best league tally during his years in Italy ; the 4th-place finish for Lazio was also the best the club would achieve until 2011-12 . In December 2002 he made headlines during a Serie A clash with Inter that ended 3-3 : after netting a hat-trick that gave his side a 3-0 lead , Claudio López improvised an Aserejé goal celebration with teammate Bernardo Corradi , inspired by the dance routine of Spanish band Las Ketchup . In an interview 13 years later , he explained that the unexpected celebration had happened because crazy Corradi enjoyed doing such things ! In the UEFA Cup , López found the net twice to help his team reach the semi-finals , where they would be knocked out by the eventual winners , Jose Mourinhos FC Porto . The following season was less successful for Lazio as they only finished 6th in Serie A and crashed out of the Champions League at the group stage . Claudio López only found the net 4 times in 36 appearances . He did manage , however , to win his second piece of silverware with the Roman club as they overcame Juventus in the two-legged Coppa Italia Final . Mexico , return to Racing . López joined Club América for the 2004 Apertura , where he played in 17 games , scoring four goals . The following season , Clausura 2005 brought better results , with López scoring a total of 14 goals overall and helping the team to its tenth League championship in its history . It was his first and only league championship with any team . Claudio was instrumental to the teams success , also helping them win the CONCACAF Champions Cup by scoring two goals in the Final over Tecos UAG . He played the 2006 FIFA Club World Cup . In 2007 López returned to Racing , 11 years after his departure from the club , and the country . In most of those games , usually coming in as a late sub , López scored several important goals . Major League Soccer . On 7 March 2008 , it was announced López had signed with the Kansas City Wizards on a free transfer . López fell under the leagues designated player qualification , which means only the first $415,000 of his salary counted against Kansas City Wizards’ team salary cap . He later had his contract restructured to take him below designated player status . On 23 February 2010 the Argentine striker left after two seasons Kansas City Wizards . We would have liked to have Claudio back in 2010 , but unfortunately it became clear early in the contract negotiations that we could not give him what he desired , Wizards Manager Peter Vermes said . López was later signed by league rivals Colorado Rapids on 2 April 2010 . After the 2010 MLS season Colorado declined Lópezs contract option and Lopez elected to participate in the 2010 MLS Re-Entry Draft . López became a free agent in Major League Soccer when he was not selected in the Re-Entry draft . International career . López had a distinguished career with Argentina . After winning a silver medal with the Under-23 team during the 1996 Summer Olympics , López made appearances in both the 1998 and 2002 World Cups . He scored a goal against the Netherlands in the 1998 FIFA World Cup quarter-final , when he kicked the ball between Edwin van der Sars legs to tie the match temporarily , although Argentina were ultimately defeated 2–1 . Style of play . A talented , hardworking , and well-rounded forward , with notable tactical intelligence and versatility , López was capable of playing anywhere along the front-line , as a striker , in a supporting role , and on the wing . He was highly regarded for his pace , technique , and dribbling skills , as well as his powerful striking ability with his left foot . He was also an effective set-piece and penalty taker . Throughout his career , he was known by the nickname El Piojo , meaning the louse . Media . López was sponsored by sportswear company Nike and appeared in Nike commercials . In a global Nike advertising campaign in the run-up to the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan , he starred in a Secret Tournament commercial ( branded Scopion KO ) directed by Terry Gilliam , appearing alongside football players such as Thierry Henry , Ronaldo , Edgar Davids , Fabio Cannavaro , Francesco Totti , Ronaldinho , Luís Figo and Hidetoshi Nakata , with former player Eric Cantona the tournament referee . Honours . - Valencia CF - Copa del Rey : 1998–99 - Spanish Super Cup : 1999 - Intertoto : 1998–99 - S.S . Lazio - Italian Super Cup : 2000 - Coppa Italia : 2003–04 - Club América - Primera División de México : Clausura 2005 - Campeón de Campeones : 2004–2005 - CONCACAF Champions Cup : 2006 - Colorado Rapids - MLS Eastern Conference Championship : 2010 - MLS Cup : 2010