Hernán Crespo

Hernán Jorge Crespo (born 5 July 1975) is an Argentina association football who currently plays for Genoa C.F.C. of the Italy Serie A and for the Argentina national football team.

Club career

River Plate

Crespo made Hernán Crespo debut with Club Atlético River Plate during the 1993-94 season, scoring 13 goals in 25 league appearances as River Plate won the Apertura league title. In 1996, Crespo helped River win the Copa Libertadores de América, scoring twice in the home leg of the final in Buenos Aires.

Serie A

Crespo left River Plate for Parma F.C. in August 1996 after Hernán Crespo won the Football at the 1996 Summer Olympics with Argentina at the 1996 Summer Olympics and finished as the top scorer with six goals. In May 1997, coached by Carlo Ancelotti, Crespo scored 12 goals in 27 matches as Parma finished runners-up to Juventus F.C.. Hernán Crespo won the 1998-99 Italian Cup and scored the opening goal in Parma's 3-0 UEFA Cup final victory over Olympique de Marseille.

In 2000, S.S. Lazio broke the then-world transfer record by paying £35 million (by paid £16 million in cash and Matias Almeyda and Sérgio Conceição) to acquire Crespo, who in turn finished as Serie A's top scorer with 26 goals.

On 31 August 2002, Crespo signed with F.C. Internazionale Milano as replacement for the departed Ronaldo for reported €20 million and Bernardo Corradi. In Hernán Crespo only season at the club, Hernán Crespo scored seven goals in 18 appearances, along with nine goals in 12 UEFA Champions League matches until Hernán Crespo was shelved four months by injury in early 2003.

Chelsea

Crespo was transferred to Premier League club Chelsea F.C. on 26 August 2003 for £16.8 million. Hernán Crespo made only 31 appearances (including 19 league starts) in all competitions, and scored 12 goals. After José Mourinho took over as Chelsea manager for the 2004-05 season, Crespo became surplus to Chelsea's plans and was loaned to A.C. Milan, as requested by former coach Carlo Ancelotti. Hernán Crespo scored a total of ten league goals, and netted twice in the 2005 2005 UEFA Champions League Final defeat to Liverpool F.C..

After Chelsea's failed attempts to land a big-name striker during the summer of 2005, Mourinho needed competition for striker Didier Drogba and decided to recall Crespo from Milan, convincing Hernán Crespo that Hernán Crespo had a future in England. Crespo made Hernán Crespo first return appearance in a 2-1 FA Community Shield victory over Arsenal F.C.. Hernán Crespo scored Hernán Crespo first league goal of 2005 against Wigan Athletic F.C. in Chelsea's season opener in a 1-0 win. The 2005-06 league title was Crespo's first league title victory in European football.

Internazionale

Though Hernán Crespo scored 26 goals in all competitions and won the 2005-06 Premiership, Crespo requested a return to Italy in order to rejoin A.C., but Chelsea refused and announced that Crespo would remain a Chelsea player until the club accepted a suitable offer for him. On 7 August 2006, Crespo joined Inter on a two-year loan. Hernán Crespo scored Hernán Crespo 125th Serie A goal against A.C. Siena on 2 December 2006, and Hernán Crespo 200th career European goal on 2 April 2007. On 13 May, Crespo scored a hat-trick to help Inter defeat Lazio 4-3 and win the Scudetto. Two days earlier, Hernán Crespo had appeared in training without Hernán Crespo customary long hair, which Hernán Crespo had kept grown out for over five years.

Hernán Crespo has scored at least one Champions League goal with each of the five European teams Hernán Crespo has played for since moving from River Plate in 1996; Hernán Crespo is the only player in Champions League history to accomplish this feat.

Crespo was officially released from Chelsea on 3 July 2008, following the expiration of Hernán Crespo contract.

In the 2008-09 season, under José Mourinho, Hernán Crespo former manager in Chelsea, Crespo only made 13 Serie A appearances, including two starts. Hernán Crespo was excluded from UEFA Champions League roster.

Genoa

On 8 June 2009, Crespo was having a medical check to formalize Hernán Crespo transfer.

International career

Crespo has 64 caps and 35 goals with Argentina national football team. Hernán Crespo won Hernán Crespo first cap in a friendly match against Bulgaria national football team in February 1995, but then had to wait 16 months for Hernán Crespo second cap and more than two years for Hernán Crespo first goal. Hernán Crespo was called up to the final roster for the 1998 FIFA World Cup, 2002 FIFA World Cup, and 2006 FIFA World Cups. In June 2005, Crespo scored twice in Argentina's 3-1 World Cup qualifying win over Argentina and Brazil football rivalry Brazil national football team in Buenos Aires, which made Hernán Crespo Argentina's career scoring leader in World Cup qualifiers. Hernán Crespo finished the 2006 competition as the World Cup Silver Boot Award winner.

On 28 June 2007, Hernán Crespo scored twice in Argentina's 4-1 victory over the United States men's soccer team in their 2007 Copa América Group C opener, tying Diego Maradona's team scoring record. Hernán Crespo finished with a total of three goals.