Cristian López

Not to be confused with Christian López.
Cristian
Personal information
Full name Cristian López Santamaría
Date of birth (1989-04-27) 27 April 1989
Place of birth Crevillent, Spain
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position Forward
Club information
Current team
 CFR Cluj
Number 11
Youth career
1999–2002 Crevillente
2002–2003 Hércules
2003–2007 Crevillente
2007–2009 Alicante
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
2008–2009 Alicante 8 (2)
2009–2011 Real Madrid B 44 (10)
2011 → Valencia B (loan) 16 (11)
2011–2012 Valencia B 31 (11)
2012–2013 Atlético Baleares 35 (9)
2013–2014 Huddersfield Town 2 (0)
2013 → Shrewsbury Town (loan) 5 (1)
2014 → Northampton Town (loan) 3 (0)
2014–2015 Burgos 36 (13)
2015– CFR Cluj 31 (11)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 16 April 2016.

† Appearances (goals)
This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is López and the second or maternal family name is Santamaría.

Cristian López Santamaría (born 27 April 1989), known simply as Cristian, is a Spanish/Mexican footballer who plays for Romanian club CFR Cluj as a forward.

Football career

Alicante

Born in Crevillent, Alicante, Valencian Community, Cristian played for several clubs as a youth, including local Crevillente Deportivo and Alicante CF. He made his debuts for the latter's first team during the 2007–08 season, as the team returned to Segunda División after a 50-year absence.

In the following campaign Cristian continued playing mostly with the reserves in Tercera División, with the main side finally being relegated. He made his division two debut in a game against Hércules CF on 6 June 2009, scoring in a 1–2 local derby home loss.[1]

Castilla / Mestalla

López signed for Real Madrid Castilla in the 2009 summer, with Real Madrid's reserves in the third division. He finished his first year with ten goals – second-best in the squad – as the team finished eighth in the league.

In January 2011 Cristian signed for Valencia CF's B-team in the fourth level, in a season-long loan.[2] He scored in double digits as the Che reserves returned to the third tier at the first attempt, and the move was made permanent in the summer.[3] He added a further 11 goals the following campaign, including all of his team's goals on 13 May 2012 as they won 4–2 at UE Sant Andreu.[4]

Cristian spent 2012–13 still in division three, with CD Atlético Baleares.[5] He ranked top scorer for the Palma de Majorca-based side, scoring twice on 31 March 2013 in a 3–0 home win over city rivals RCD Mallorca B.[6]

Huddersfield

On 24 July 2013, trialist Cristian played for Huddersfield Town against Real Betis, in a 2–4 friendly loss at the John Smith's Stadium, and he scored in the next pre-season match with Oldham Athletic (2–3 defeat). The following week he signed a one-year deal with the Terriers, taking the number 19 shirt vacated by Alan Lee.[7]

Cristian made his Football League Championship on 3 August 2013, coming on as a substitute in a 0–1 defeat at Nottingham Forest – in the process, he became the club's first ever Spanish player in its 105-year history. On 10 October, however, he joined Football League One side Shrewsbury Town on a month's loan, becoming the first Spaniard to sign for the club.[8] He scored his first goal for the team and in English football on the 22nd, in a 1–1 draw against Colchester United at the New Meadow,[9] but returned to Huddersfield on 5 November following an injury crisis to its attacking sector.[10]

On 14 March 2014, López moved to League Two's Northampton Town, on loan for the rest of the season.[11] He was released by Huddersfield in May.[12]

Burgos / Cluj

On 17 July 2014, Cristian joined Burgos CF in the third tier,[13] eventually helping his team to a mid-table finish. He received a straight red card on 11 October 2014 in a goalless draw at CD Guijuelo, for a 15th-minute high challenge on Juli Ferrer.[14]

In June 2015, Cristian moved abroad for the second time, signing with Romanian Liga I team CFR Cluj.[15] He made his top flight debut on 11 July, replacing Guima for the final 20 minutes of a 2–2 draw at FC Viitorul Constanța in the opening game of the season. A month later, he scored his first goal for the Feroviarii, the game's only at the Stadionul Dr. Constantin Rădulescu against FC Petrolul Ploiești, four minutes after coming on for Leo Beleck.[16]

On 31 August 2015, Cristian recorded a hat-trick in a 3–1 home win over FC Botoșani.[17]

Club statistics

As of 2 April 2016
Club Season League Cup League Cup Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Alicante 2007–08[18] Segunda División B 5000——50
2008–09[18] Segunda División 3200——32
Total 8200——82
Real Madrid B 2009–10[18] Segunda División B 3310———3310
2010–11[18] Segunda División B 110———110
Total 4410———4410
Valencia B (loan) 2011–12[18] Segunda División B 3111———3111
Total 3111———3111
Atlético Baleares 2012–13[18] Segunda División B 35900——359
Total 35900——359
Huddersfield Town 2013–14[19] Championship 2020——40
Total 2020——40
Shrewsbury Town (loan) 2013–14[19] League One 5100——51
Total 5100——51
Northampton Town (loan) 2013–14[19] League Two 3000——30
Total 3000——30
Burgos 2014–15[19] Segunda División B 361300——3613
Total 361300——3613
CFR Cluj 2015–16[19] Liga I 29100021—3111
Total 29100021—3111
Career total 193562021—19757

References

  1. ↑ "El Hércules sigue con vida (1–2)" [Hércules still alive (1–2)] (in Spanish). La Verdad. 7 June 2009. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  2. ↑ "El Valencia ficha a Cristian, delantero del Castilla" [Valencia signs Cristian, Castilla forward] (in Spanish). Super Deporte. 28 January 2011. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  3. ↑ "Cristian sigue los pasos de Canales" [Cristian in the footsteps of Canales] (in Spanish). Defensa Central. 11 August 2011. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  4. ↑ "UE Sant Andreu 2 – València CF Mestalla 4" (in Catalan). UE Sant Andreu. 13 May 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
  5. ↑ Presentación oficial de José Picón, Cristian López y Roque Mesa por el Atco. Baleares (Official presentation of José Picón, Cristian López and Roque Mesa by Atco. Baleares); Fútbol Balear, 5 September 2012 (Spanish)
  6. ↑ "Final: Atco Baleares – Mallorca B (3–0)" [End: Atco Baleares – Mallorca B (3–0)] (in Spanish). Mallorca Esports. 31 March 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
  7. ↑ Huddersfield Town sign striker Cristian Lopez; BBC Sport, 31 July 2013
  8. ↑ "Cristian Lopez: Shrewsbury Town sign Huddersfield striker on loan". BBC Sport. 10 October 2013. Retrieved 10 October 2013.
  9. ↑ "Shrewsbury Town 1–1 Colchester United". BBC Sport. 22 October 2013. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  10. ↑ "Shrewsbury Town after new striker as Cristian Lopez returns to Huddersfield". Shropshire Star. 5 November 2013. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
  11. ↑ "Cristian Lopez joins Northampton Town". Northampton Town F.C. 14 March 2014. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
  12. ↑ "Huddersfield Town captain Peter Clarke among eight released". BBC Sport. 5 May 2014. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
  13. ↑ "El Burgos CF cierra el fichaje del delantero alicantino Cristian López" [Burgos CF seal the signing of Alicante-born forward Cristian López] (in Spanish). Diario de Burgos. 17 July 2014. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  14. ↑ Romero, Román (13 October 2014). "El Burgos CF recurrirá la expulsión de Cristian López frente al Guijuelo" [Burgos CF will appeal the expulsion of Cristian López against Guijuelo] (in Spanish). Diario de Burgos. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
  15. ↑ "Atacantul spaniol de la Burgos este ultima achiziţie a celor de la CFR Cluj!" [Spanish forward from Burgos is CFR Cluj's latest acquisition!] (in Romanian). Stiride Sport. 19 June 2015. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  16. ↑ ""Arcaşul" CFR-ului, Cristian Lopez, îşi explică gestul de după golul cu Petrolul. Fost la Real Madrid, spaniolul promite să fie golgheter: "Voi marca multe goluri"" [CFR's archer, Cristian López, explains his gesture after goal against Petrolul. Formerly of Real Madrid, the Spaniard promises to be top scorer: "I will score many goals"] (in Romanian). ProSport. 12 August 2015. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
  17. ↑ "Cristian Lopez a marcat de trei ori cu FC Botoşani. Primul hat-trick al sezonului în Liga 1" [Cristian López scored three against FC Botoşani. First hat-trick of the Liga I season] (in Romanian). Digisport. 31 August 2015. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Cristian: Cristian López Santamaría". BDFutbol. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 "Cristian López". Soccerway. Retrieved 7 September 2015.

External links

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