Antonio_López_(footballer,_born_1981)

Antonio López (footballer, born 1981)

Antonio López (footballer, born 1981)

Spanish footballer

For other people named Antonio Lopez, see Antonio Lopez (disambiguation).
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is López and the second or maternal family name is Guerrero.

Antonio López Guerrero (Spanish pronunciation: [anˈtonjo ˈlopeθ ɣeˈreɾo]; born 13 September 1981) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played mainly as a left-back.

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He spent most of his professional career with Atlético Madrid, appearing in more than 300 competitive matches and winning four major titles, including two Europa League trophies. Also in La Liga, he played for Osasuna and Mallorca.

López represented Spain at the 2006 World Cup.

Club career

Atlético Madrid

A product of Atlético Madrid's youth system, López was born in Benidorm, Province of Alicante.[2] He first appeared for the first team in 2000–01 while the Colchoneros were in the Segunda División, and contributed 20 matches the following season for a La Liga return, after a two-year hiatus.

Subsequently, López was loaned for two seasons to fellow top-division club CA Osasuna, where he missed only five league games.[3] During his Navarre spell he scored twice (both of the goals coming in 2002–03), most notably in a 1–0 home win against RCD Espanyol on 15 December 2002.[4]

López quickly became first-choice in his second stint at the Vicente Calderón Stadium. However, during the 2007–08 campaign he lost his position to Mariano Pernía, and would end serving more time at right-back due to injuries to teammates Giourkas Seitaridis and Juan Valera;[5] when selected, he was the side's undisputed captain.[6][7]

On 15 March 2009, López scored the winner through a rare header as Atlético came from behind 2–0 to beat Villarreal CF at home.[8] After the coach change, with former club player Abel Resino taking over from Javier Aguirre, he was made the starter, but an injury made Pernía finish the season in the starting XI.[9]

Benefitting from a road accident to Pernía in the summer, López played most of 2009–10.[10] On 2 January 2010, again with his head – but in the last minute – he netted against Sevilla FC at home to make it 2–1.[11] On 1 April, he scored in the same fashion in an eventual 2–2 draw at Valencia CF in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Europa League,[12] a competition which was won in Hamburg with him playing the entire 120 minutes of the 2–1 victory over Fulham and lifting the trophy as captain.[13]

Mallorca

In late May 2012, after 343 official games, López was released by Atlético.[14] The following month, he signed for two years with RCD Mallorca with an option for a further season.[15]

International career

López made his debut with Spain on 30 March 2005, in a 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Serbia and Montenegro in Belgrade (0–0).[16] He scored his only international goal during the successful campaign, hitting home from 25 metres in the first minute of a 6–0 rout at San Marino on 12 October.[17]

Supposed to back up Asier del Horno in the final stages, López would not benefit from the former's injury days before the tournament started, as Argentine-born Pernía would be promoted to first-choice.[18] He would only appear against Saudi Arabia in Germany,[19] with Spain being eliminated in the round of 16.

International goal

Score and result list Spain's goal tally first, score column indicates score after López goal.
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Honours

Atlético Madrid

References

  1. [1]
    "2006 FIFA World Cup Germany: List of Players: Spain" (PDF). FIFA. 21 March 2014. p. 25. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2019. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  2. [2]
    "Antonio López: "Aquí empecé y aquí quiero terminar"" [Antonio López: "I started here and here is where I want to end"]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 14 October 2011. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  3. [3]
    "El legado de Antonio López" [Antonio López's legacy]. Noticias de Navarra (in Spanish). 22 August 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  4. [4]
    Soto, Víctor (16 December 2002). "Tercera victoria consecutiva de Osasuna en casa" [Third straight home win for Osasuna]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  5. [5]
    "Perea, Jurado, Seitaridis y Valera, bajas frente al Betis" [Perea, Jurado, Seitaridis and Valera, unavailable against Betis] (in Spanish). Terra. 1 December 2007. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  6. [6]
    "Antonio López es el nuevo capitán del Atlético" [Antonio López is the new Atlético captain]. Marca (in Spanish). 16 July 2009. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  7. [7]
    "Antonio López ejerce de Pepe Reina en el colofón de la fiesta colchonera" [Antonio López plays Pepe Reina at the height of colchonera party] (in Spanish). Telecinco. 10 May 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  8. [8]
    "Atlético Madrid 3–2 Villarreal". ESPN Soccernet. 15 March 2009. Retrieved 22 May 2012.
  9. [9]
    Álvaro, Miguel Ángel (8 May 2009). "Antonio López recae de su abductor y Pernía será titular" [Antonio López relapses from his adductor and Pernía will start]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  10. [10]
    "Tras el accidente, Pernía volvió a jugar" [Following his accident, Pernía played again] (in Spanish). Infobae. 22 January 2010. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  11. [11]
    "Last gasp Lopez winner". ESPN Soccernet. 2 January 2010. Retrieved 22 May 2012.
  12. [12]
    "Villa keeps Los Che in the tie". ESPN Soccernet. 1 April 2010. Retrieved 22 May 2012.
  13. [13]
    McNulty, Phil (12 May 2010). "Atletico Madrid 2–1 Fulham". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 13 May 2010. Retrieved 13 May 2010.
  14. [14]
    Aznar, Luis (22 May 2012). "Antonio López: "Todo lo que me llevo del Atlético es bueno"" [Antonio López: "I only take good things from Atlético"]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 May 2012.
  15. [15]
    "Mallorca snap up Lopez". ESPN Soccernet. 26 June 2012. Retrieved 26 June 2012.
  16. [16]
    Sámano, José (31 March 2005). "España se queda corta" [Spain come up short]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 3 December 2018.
  17. [17]
    "Torres towers in Spain win". UEFA. 12 October 2005. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  18. [18]
    "Fútbol/Selección.– Antonio López: "Que juegue Pernía y no yo no depende de mí"" [Football/National team.– Antonio López: "The fact that Pernía plays instead of me is not up to me"] (in Spanish). Europa Press. 22 June 2006. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  19. [19]
    "Saudi Arabia 0–1 Spain". BBC Sport. 23 June 2006. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
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