Hernan Crespo

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Crespo emerged from River Plate's academy, making his debut during the 1993–94 season and scoring 13 goals in 25 league appearances as River Plate won the Apertura title. In 1996, he helped River win the Copa Libertadores, scoring twice in the home leg of the final in Buenos Aires. He left for Parma on 14 August 1996 after winning a silver medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics and finishing as top scorer with six goals. After a slow start at Parma, he scored 12 times in 27 matches in his first Serie A season, with the turning point being a standing ovation for his brace against Cagliari in March 1997. Parma won the 1998–99 Coppa Italia and the UEFA Cup, with Crespo scoring the opening goal in the 3–0 final victory over Marseille. He scored 80 goals in four seasons for Parma. In 2000, Lazio broke the world transfer record by paying £35 million to acquire Crespo, who finished as Serie A's top scorer with 26 goals in the 2000–01 season. After injuries at Lazio, he moved to Inter Milan on 31 August 2002 for a €26 million fee plus Bernardo Corradi. He scored 7 goals in 18 Serie A appearances and 9 goals in 12 Champions League matches as Inter reached the semi-finals. He then transferred to Chelsea on 26 August 2003 for £16.8 million. After a loan to AC Milan where he scored twice in the 2005 Champions League Final, he returned to Chelsea and won the 2005–06 Premier League title. He re-joined Inter on a two-year loan in 2006, scoring a hat-trick on 13 May 2007 to help Inter defeat Lazio 4–3 and win the Scudetto. He later played for Genoa and returned to Parma in January 2010, becoming the club's all-time record goalscorer with 94 goals in 201 appearances before retiring in November 2012.

In Their Own Story

Crespo won his first cap for Argentina in a friendly against Bulgaria in February 1995. He was part of the side that finished runners-up in the 1995 King Fahd Cup. At the 1996 Olympics, he helped Argentina reach the final with braces against Spain in the quarter-final and Portugal in the semi-final, scoring his sixth goal of the tournament from the penalty spot in the final loss to Nigeria. He scored his first senior goal in a 1998 World Cup qualifier against Ecuador and hit a hat-trick against FR Yugoslavia in a pre-World Cup friendly. At the 1998 World Cup, he made only one substitute appearance as Gabriel Batistuta led the attack; his penalty attempt was saved by David Seaman in the second-round shootout, but Argentina progressed 4–3. During qualification for the 2002 World Cup, Crespo was top scorer for Argentina with nine goals as they topped the group. He also played in the 2006 World Cup. He scored 35 goals for Argentina, making him the nation's fifth highest goalscorer.

Reader's Guide

Crespo's club career was defined by prolific scoring across Europe. He was the world's most expensive player when bought by Lazio from Parma in 2000 for €56 million (£35.5 million). He was top scorer in the 2000–01 Serie A with 26 goals for Lazio. His awards include three Serie A scudetti, a Copa Libertadores, a Premier League title, and an Olympic Games silver medal. In 2004, he was named by Pelé in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players. He never received a red card during his career. At Parma, he is the club's all-time record goalscorer with 94 goals in 201 appearances. In the Champions League, he became the first player to score with five different teams in the competition.

Did You Know?

• Crespo was the world's most expensive player when Lazio bought him from Parma in 2000 for €56 million (£35.5 million).
• He is the all-time record goalscorer for Parma with 94 goals in 201 appearances.
• Crespo became the first player to score a Champions League goal with five different teams.
• He never received a red card during his entire playing career.
• Crespo scored a hat-trick on 13 May 2007 to help Inter Milan defeat Lazio 4–3 and win the Scudetto.