Players as great, transcendental and beloved as Diego Maradona pick up a lot of nicknames throughout their careers. Maradona was “El Pibe de Oro,” “Dieguito,” and some people went as far as to put him next to God as “D10S.”
San Jose Earthquakes attacking midfielder Hernán López? He just called him “tío.”
López grew up spending Sundays with Maradona, sipping mate and chatting. Before the Argentina legend started having knee troubles that limited his mobility, there were occasional kickarounds or games of soccer tennis. López clearly knew who his great-uncle was, but said he didn’t feel intimidated or nervous because of how Maradona interacted with his family.
“Maradona is who he is for everyone, and, for me, he was my uncle,” López said. “He made you feel like you were Maradona when you were together because he treated you like you were the person who was so famous and well-known. He became just another person.”
When he was in the Argentinos Juniors academy where Maradona developed, when López was coming up through the River Plate academy, and later as he burst onto the professional scene with Central Córdoba and Godoy Cruz, López knew there would be commentators and fans hoping to see a new Diego on the field.
“When it was time to play, I knew I was going to kick the ball and they were going to say I was Maradona’s nephew, but it didn’t create any pressure for me,” López said. “As time passed, I created my name and stopped having that title of ‘Maradona’s nephew,’ and they started to speak about Hernán López.”
There’s been plenty to talk about since the 23-year-old arrived in Northern California in late April. Amidst a tough season for the Quakes, López immediately gave the team a boost. He scored in his first MLS start, a 3-2 win over the Colorado Rapids in May, and has four goals and two assists across all competitions.
The Quakes have struggled to earn points and parted ways with manager Luchi Gonzalez earlier this week.
Still, this Saturday will be a celebration, with the team welcoming the rival LA Galaxy to Stanford Stadium as part of their 50th anniversary festivities (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 jolt of energy and start climbing the table.
If there is a surprise Audi MLS Cup Playoffs run, everyone expects López to be at the center of it.
“He’s got all the skills necessary to make a difference, to be strong for San Jose and for the team to play around him,” said Portland Timbers legend Diego Valeri, himself a former Argentine playmaker and now an analyst on MLS Season Pass. “As a 10 in a league of 10s, he’s got all the talent.
“He’s got a good shot, dribbling, vision, passing. He really connects well with his teammates and understands each moment of the match. He’s got it all.”
Even as López carefully established his name and carved his path, it’s tempting to say it was in his blood to insist on having the ball at his feet, on playing that ‘enganche’ role López admits he’s thrilled to see come back into vogue. It can’t have hurt to see what Maradona was doing in the backyard as he was developing his own technical skills. They’re not the same player, buuuut…
“Maradona is a very beloved figure, perhaps the most in all of Argentina. I don’t think you can compare him to Maradona, but you can find a few small things – little actions during a play or the way he moves. And you see he has something in his aesthetic too,” Valeri said. “Going forward, he has to know that everyone makes their path, that he’s in this place and in the spot he’s at they’re going to demand things from Hernán López and not Maradona.”
The move to San Jose marks the first time López is playing outside Argentina, and he has adapted quickly both on the field and in his personal life as well. After leaving Buenos Aires for Cordoba and then Mendoza – a pair of provinces away from the Argentine capital and his family there – López feels he has the maturity needed to find success in another.
Already he has visited Lake Tahoe and Redwood Forests for hikes in his free time. He also enjoys sipping mate – something that “takes me back to my roots” – while reading a book or drawing.
Those escapes help him feel at ease rather than the pressure he could be feeling as a player many fans in Northern California hope will turn things around.
“This is a process,” López said. “Not every team will stay in the top spots all season, so in the second half, we want to get as many points as possible and try to get into the playoffs. We know the playoffs are totally different from the regular season, so we know if we can qualify, we’re capable. We’ve got to fix some details, get concentrated and prepare for what’s coming.”
Those are the words of a player hoping to make a difference, to help San Jose get out of last place in the Western Conference and challenge for a top-nine place - and one who plans to play a huge role in making that happen.
As he continues to put his skills on display with the Quakes, it’s clear López is on his own path, working to earn his own renown, his own respect, and maybe even his own nickname as he pays tribute to the “D10s” who, to him, was “tío Diego”.
