There has been a lot of talk since the 23-year-old arrived in Northern California in late April. In the midst of a tough season for the Quakes, Lopez immediately provided a boost to the team. He scored a goal in his first MLS start, a 3-2 victory against the Colorado Rapids, and has four goals and two assists in all competitions.
The Quakes struggled to gain points and decided to end their relationship with head coach Luchi González this week.
Despite everything, there will be a celebration on Saturday. The team will host the LA Galaxy at Stanford Stadium as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations (10:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass). The night before, many club legends will be honored at an event at PayPal Park. López wants to put himself in the same category as those players one day, saying his first Cali Clásico is a chance for the Quakes’ season to get a boost of energy and start climbing the table.
If San Jose is surprised to reach the MLS Cup Playoffs presented by Audi, everyone expects López to play an important role.
“He has all the skills necessary to make a difference, to be strong for San José and for the team to play around him,” said Portland Timbers legend Diego Valeri, a former Argentine playmaker and now an MLS Season Pass analyst. . “As a 10 in a league where 10 stand out, he has all the talent.”
“He has a good shot, dribbling, vision and passing. He really connects well with his teammates and understands every moment of the game. He has it all.”
Even as López carefully established his name and made his way, it’s tempting to say that it was in his blood to insist on having the ball at his feet, on playing that ‘hook-up’ role. Lopez admits that he is excited for him to be back in fashion. It wouldn’t hurt to see what Maradona was doing in the backyard while he developed his own technical skills. They are not the same player, but…
“Maradona is a very beloved figure, perhaps the most beloved in all of Argentina. I don’t think you can compare him to Maradona, but you can find some little things: little actions during a play or the way he moves. And you see that he also has something in the aesthetic of him,” Valeri said. “Looking to the future, he has to know that each one follows his own path, that he is in this place and in the place he is, they will demand things from Hernán López and not from Maradona.”
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