Crespo made his debut with River Plate during the 1993-94 season, scoring thirteen goals in 25 league appearances as River Plate won the Apertura league title. In 1996, Crespo helped River win the Copa Libertadores, scoring twice in the home leg of the final in Buenos Aires.
[edit] Serie A
Crespo left River Plate for Parma F.C. in August 1996 after he won the silver medal 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 twelve goals in 27 matches as Parma finished runners-up to Juventus. He 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 £35,500,000 to acquire Crespo, who in turn finished as Serie A's top scorer with twenty-six goals.
On 31 August 2002, Crespo signed with Internazionale as replacement for the departed Ronaldo, for €20 million and Bernardo Corradi.[1] In his only season at the club, he scored seven goals in eighteen appearances, along with nine goals in twelve Champions League matches until he was shelved four months by injury in early 2003.
[edit] Chelsea
Crespo was transferred to Premier League club Chelsea F.C. on 26 August 2003, for £16.8 million. He made only 31 appearances (including nineteen league starts) in all competitions, and scored twelve 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. He scored a total of ten league goals, and netted twice in the 2005 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 him that he had a future in England. Crespo made his first return appearance in a 2-1 FA Community Shield victory over Arsenal F.C.. He scored his first league goal of 2005 against Wigan Athletic in Chelsea's season opener.
Crespo in an Inter shirt.
Crespo in an Inter shirt.
[edit] Internazionale
Though he scored 26 goals in all competitions and won the 2005-06 Premiership, Crespo requested a return to Italy in order to rejoin Milan, but Chelsea refused and announced that Crespo would remain a Chelsea player until the club accepted a suitable offer for him. On August 7, 2006, Crespo joined Inter on a two-year loan. He scored his 125th Serie A goal against A.C. Siena on December 2, 2006, and his 200th career European goal on April 2, 2007. On May 13, Crespo scored a hat-trick to help Inter defeat Lazio 4-3 and win the Scudetto. Two days earlier, he had appeared in training without his customary long hair, which he had kept grown out for over five years.[2]
He has scored at least one Champions League goal with each of the five European teams he has played for since moving from River Plate in 1996; he is the first and only player in CL history to accomplish this feat.
[edit] Back to Inter
Crespo was officially released from Chelsea on July 3, 2008, following the expiration of his contract.[3
