Argentine footballer Hernán Crespo is a retired striker. His reputation as a great South American striker is undisputed, his speed, finishing and quick feet in the box garnished him the reputation as one of the sharpest strikers in world football. Here’s a quick profile as well as what he’s doing now.
The future Premier League winner began his career at River Plate in Argentina, where he quickly established himself as one of the top young players in the country. In 1993, he made his professional debut for River Plate, and scored 25 goals in 71 appearances before joining Parma in 1996.
Crespo gained much notoriety playing for one of the greatest Parma sides in their history, scoring over 100 goals in all competitions. He won two Coppa Italia titles, as well as the UEFA Cup, and was also named the Italian Footballer of the Year in 1999.
The striker moved to Lazio in 2000, where he won the Serie A title in his first season.
After his successful spell with Lazio, Crespo moved to Chelsea in England. Even though he struggled to adapt to the physicality of the Premier League, he still managed to score 23 goals in 70 appearances, claiming A Premier League trophy in the process.
A muted England spell led to a transfer to Inter Milan, where he had a successful spell, scoring 38 goals in 88 appearances. He then quickly switched city allegiances and moved to AC Milan, where he won the Italian Serie A title in the 2004-05 season.
Winding down his career, Crespo later returned to Argentina to again play for his boyhood club River Plate before retiring.
He also played for the Argentina national team, scoring 35 goals in 64 appearances, and was a key player in the team that reached the final of the 2002 FIFA World Cup. His performances at the tournament earned him a spot in the tournament’s all-star team, and he was also awarded the Golden Shoe for being the tournament’s top goalscorer.
Throughout his career, Crespo was known for his goal-scoring ability, his ability to hold the ball up and bring others into play, and his intelligence on the field. He was a clinical finisher and was able to score goals in all types of situations, whether it be from the penalty spot or from long range. He was also an excellent header of the ball and was able to score many goals from crosses and set pieces.
Crespo’s career was characterized by his consistency and longevity, he was able to maintain a high level of performance for many years and played for some of the biggest clubs in Europe and South America. He is also one of the most successful South American footballers in history, and his legacy will be remembered for many years to come.
What’s Hernan Crespo doing now
Post retirement, Crespo has become a coach/manager. Initially taking a youth coaching position at his beloved Parma, he then went on to manage Banfield in Argentina. an unucceful spell there led to Defensa y Justicia where he sensationally won the Copa Sudamericana after defeating Club Atlético Lanús by 3–0.
That spell led to him coaching São Paulo, signing on a two-year deal. He made his debut 16 days later on the first day of the Campeonato Paulista, in a 1–1 home draw with Botafogo-SP. He won the title on 23 May, after a 2–0 aggregate victory over Palmeiras; this was the club’s first honour in nine years and the first in the competition since 2005.
On 13 October 2021, Crespo left São Paulo on a mutual agreement.[64] The club were 13th in the national league after 25 games, and he was replaced by team icon Rogério Ceni.