While López’s spell in Lyon may have been relatively brief compared to some of his teammates — club legends like Cris or Sidney Govou, there’s now doubt that the clinical striker finished his time at the Stade Gerland as one of the club’s most beloved players.

Born in the rural town of Rafael Obligado, he first made a name for himself at Racing Club in Buenos Aires, teaming with Diego Millito as he finished top scorer in the 2004 Apertura. His strong  play even saw him get a senior call-up for his country in March of 2005. Later that year, along with countryman Lucho González, he moved to Portuguese side Porto.

The two were an instant success for Õs Dragoes, winning the league title in each of their four seasons, before decamping to France. López’s spell in Portugal came to an end in 2009, when he moved to an ambitious Lyon side.

His first season continued his strong play, helping the club to the Champions League semifinals with a landmark Round of 16 win over Real Madrid. He finished the season with 24 goals in all competitions, and was named the Ligue 1 Player of the Year.

He continued to score with regularity, and in 2012 helped Lyon to reach the Coupe de France and Coupe de la Ligue finals, winning the former with the only goal of the final. While the following season would be his last for Les Gones, as he left the club in 2013, he would leave with a memorable tribute (see video below), having scored an impressive 59 goals in 119 Ligue 1 experiences.

Happy Birthday Licha!