Place of birth Crevillent, Spain Number 26 Height 1.85 m | Playing position 1999–2002 Crevillente Current team RC Lens (#11 / Forward) | |
Full name Cristian López Santamaría Date of birth (1989-04-27) 27 April 1989 (age 27) Similar Kévin Fortuné, Mathias Autret, Abdellah Zoubir, Benjamin Bourigeaud, John Bostock Profiles | ||
Cristian López Santamaría (born 27 April 1989), known simply as Cristian, is a Spanish footballer who plays for French club RC Lens as a forward.
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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 they 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 squad 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.
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. 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. 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.
Cristian spent 2012–13 still in division three, with CD Atlético Baleares. 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.
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.
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. 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, but returned to Huddersfield on 5 November following an injury crisis to its attacking sector.
On 14 March 2014, López moved to League Two's Northampton Town, on loan for the rest of the season. He was released by Huddersfield in May.
Burgos / Cluj
On 17 July 2014, Cristian joined Burgos CF in the third tier, 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.
In June 2015, Cristian moved abroad for the second time, signing with Romanian Liga I team CFR Cluj. 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.
On 31 August 2015, Cristian recorded a hat-trick in a 3–1 home win over FC Botoșani. The following 17 May, in the final of the Cupa României, he came on at half-time for Tomislav Gomelt and headed a last-minute equaliser as Cluj came from behind to draw 2–2 against FC Dinamo București before winning in a penalty shootout.
Lens
Cristian switched countries again on 31 August 2016, when he joined Ligue 2 club RC Lens on a one-year deal with the option for a second. He made his debut nine days later, replacing Kévin Fortuné for the final ten minutes of a 1–1 home draw with FC Bourg-Pérronas, and scored his first goal on 20 September in a 4–2 win over US Orléans also at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis.