Miguel Ángel López (footballer)

Miguel Angel Lopez (born 1 March 1942 in Argentina), nicknamed Zurdo, is an Argentine former footballer and manager.[2][3] As a player, López had his most successful tenure on Independiente, where he won eight titles.

Miguel Ángel López
López with River Plate in 1968
Personal information
Position(s) Defender[1]
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
-1962 Universitario (Cba)
1963 Sarmiento (J) 22 (0)
1964-1966 Estudiantes LP 87 (1)
1967 Ferro Carril Oeste 23 (0)
1968-1970 River Plate 79 (1)
1971-1975 Independiente 136 (1)
1975-1976 Atlético Nacional
International career
1972 Argentina
Managerial career
1977 Atlético Nacional
1978 Atlético Junior
1979 Argentinos Juniors
1980-1981 Independiente
1982 Atlético Nacional
1983 Boca Juniors
1984 Rosario Central
1984-1987 Club América
1988 Ferro Carril Oeste
1988 Atlético Junior
1989-1991 Guadalajara
1992 Atlético Junior
1992-1993 América
1994 Barcelona
1994-1995 Santos Laguna
1995 Independiente
1995-1996 Toluca
1996 León
1997-1998 Santos Laguna
1999 Atlético Junior
2000 Al-Ahli
2001 Atlético Celaya
2002 Puebla
2003 Badajoz
2004-2005 Atlético Junior
2006 Arsenal
2007 Atlético Junior
2009-2010 Atlético San Luis
2013-2014 Atlético Junior
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Player career

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López started playing in Unión Central of Villa María, Córdoba, then moving to Club Universitario. In 1963 he was traded to Sarmiento de Junín, then to Estudiantes de La Plata to make his debut in 1964. Three years later he signed for Ferro Carril Oeste in exchange for Felipe Ribaudo.

His good performances in Ferro led López to be capped for the Argentina national football team. At club level, he then moved to River Plate, then to Independiente, where he spent his most successful years as a player. With the Avellaneda team López won four Copa Libertadores (1972, 1973, 1974, 1975), three Copa Interamericana (1972, 1974, 1975) and one Intercontinental Cup in 1973 v Italian Juventus FC[4]

After winning eight titles with Independiente, López emigrated to Colombia to play for Atlético Nacional, where he won the National championship in 1976.

Managerial career

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After retiring from football, López became a manager, starting to coach the youth divisions of Atlético Nacional in 1977. Two years later he returned to Argentina as Argentinos Juniors manager, where he coached rising star Diego Maradona. In 1980 he signed for Independiente, winning his first title, the friendly tournament "Torneo Villa de Madrid".

López returned to Colombia in 1982 to coach Atlético Nacional, where he spent a brief time before becoming manager of Boca Juniors but he only spent one season with the team. In 1984 López signed for Mexican Club América, where he won the 1984–85 championship. After a season with Ferro C. Oeste in 1988, López made his third return to Colombia to manage Atlético Junior. His next team was C.D. Guadalajara in 1990.

References

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