Jorge López (footballer, born 1978) facts for kids
López training with Zaragoza in 2009
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Jorge López Montaña | ||
| Date of birth | 19 September 1978 | ||
| Place of birth | Logroño, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.82 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Logroñés | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1996–1997 | Logroñés B | 15 | (4) |
| 1997–1999 | Logroñés | 14 | (2) |
| 1998 | → Las Rozas (loan) | ||
| 1999–2003 | Villarreal | 134 | (30) |
| 2003–2007 | Valencia | 45 | (4) |
| 2004–2005 | → Mallorca (loan) | 29 | (1) |
| 2007–2008 | Racing Santander | 36 | (6) |
| 2008–2011 | Zaragoza | 94 | (9) |
| 2011–2012 | OFI | 24 | (1) |
| 2013 | Gent | 15 | (2) |
| 2014 | Cádiz | 11 | (1) |
| Total | 417 | (60) | |
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Jorge López Montaña, born on September 19, 1978, is a Spanish former professional football player. He was a midfielder, usually playing on the right side of the field. During his 11 seasons in Spain's top football league, La Liga, he played 271 matches and scored 36 goals. He played for several well-known teams like Villarreal, Valencia, Mallorca, Racing de Santander, and Zaragoza. With Valencia, he won important titles, including the national championship in 2004.
Contents
Playing for Spanish Clubs
Early Career at Logroñés
Jorge López was born in Logroño, a city in La Rioja, Spain. He grew up playing football in the youth system of his hometown club, CD Logroñés. He started his professional career with their B-team before moving up to the main squad.
Time at Villarreal
In the summer of 1999, López joined Villarreal CF. His team earned promotion to La Liga at the end of the 1999–2000 season. He made his first appearance in the top league on September 10, 2000. In the 2000–01 season, he played in almost every league match and scored eight goals. Villarreal finished seventh that year.
Winning Titles with Valencia
López moved to Valencia CF for the 2003–04 season. He played 26 matches and scored four goals, helping Valencia win the national championship. After this successful season, he was loaned to another top-division team, RCD Mallorca. When he returned to Valencia, he played fewer matches over the next two seasons, partly because of injuries.
Success at Racing Santander
In 2007, López left Valencia and joined Racing de Santander. He became a very important player for them. He helped Racing Santander qualify for the UEFA Cup for the first time in their history. This happened after they finished sixth in the league season. On November 25, 2007, he scored the only goal in a home game against his old club, Valencia, helping Racing win.
Moving to Real Zaragoza
After playing one game for Racing in the 2008–09 season, López was transferred to Real Zaragoza on September 1, 2008. Zaragoza was in the Segunda División at the time. He scored seven goals in 38 matches, helping his new team return to the top league right away. He played a lot of minutes that season, showing his importance to the team. However, he played less in the next season, even though he started it as a regular player.
Playing Abroad
Experience in Greece and Belgium
In July 2011, López left Zaragoza after not agreeing on a new contract. At 33 years old, he decided to play football outside of Spain for the first time. He joined OFI Crete F.C. in Greece.
In January 2013, López became a free player because his previous club had financial problems. He then moved to Belgium and joined K.A.A. Gent. There, he played with several other Spanish players, including his former manager, Víctor Fernández.
Retirement at Cádiz
After his time in Belgium, López had a short period playing for Cádiz CF in Spain's third division, Segunda División B. He retired from professional football at the age of 36.
Personal Life
Jorge López has a younger brother named Iñigo. Iñigo was also a professional football player.
Honours
Villarreal
- UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2003
Valencia
- La Liga: 2003–04
See also
In Spanish: Jorge López Montaña para niños
