Claudio Javier López (, born 17 July 1974) is an Argentine former 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 club's 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 Spain's 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 Lopez's last season with the club. The Argentine formed a devastating partnership with Romanian Adrian Ilie and played alongside such stars as Jocelyn Angloma, Santiago Cañizares 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 Italy's 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 a 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