Óscar López Hernández (born 11 May 1980) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played mainly as a left-back. He is currently manager of Castellón B.
His 15-year senior career, which he started with Barcelona, was marred by injuries.
Playing career Born in Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Catalonia, López was a product of the Barcelona cantera. He appeared for the club's C and B sides, being given his senior debut by Radomir Antić in a 3–1 win against Recreativo de Huelva on 25 May 2003Kluivert embellece un partido apagado (Kluivert embellishes dull match); El País, 26 May 2003 (in Spanish) and adding a further seven La Liga games over the course of that and the following seasons. His first taste of European football came on 15 October 2003, in an 8–0 rout of Matador Púchov in the UEFA Cup.Ronaldinho también es clave en Europa (Ronaldinho is also key in Europe); Diario AS, 15 October 2003 (in Spanish)
However, López failed to establish himself in the main squad, and was subsequently loaned to Lazio for 2004–05.Óscar López jugará un año en el Lazio como cedido (Óscar López will play one year with Lazio on loan); La Voz de Galicia, 16 August 2004 (in Spanish) He made 14 Serie A appearances, played twice in the Coppa Italia and four times in the UEFA Cup, but struggled to earn a regular starting position, and the Romans decided against buying the player at the end of the campaign.Oscar Lopez, dal Barcellona al flop con la prima Lazio di Lotito (Óscar López, from Barcelona to failure with Lotito's first Lazio); Goal, 4 October 2022 (in Italian)
López returned to Spain on 3 August 2005 after being loaned to Real Betis,Betis opt for López loan; UEFA, 3 August 2005 making his debut in the 2–1 victory over Barcelona in the second leg of the Supercopa de España.El Barça no deja escapar la Supercopa (Barça do not let Supercup get away); El Mundo, 20 August 2005 (in Spanish) He managed to be relatively used during the season, with 27 competitive matches – featuring in two European competitions – and, after that, signed a permanent four-year contract.Real Betis 1–2 Liverpool; BBC Sport, 13 September 2005Joaquín lidera a un Betis para la esperanza (Joaquín leads a Betis toward hope); El Mundo, 15 February 2006 (in Spanish)El Barça traspasa a Óscar López al Betis (Barça transfer Óscar López to Betis); Marca, 29 June 2006 (in Spanish)
In January 2007, López was loaned to top-flight strugglers Gimnàstic de Tarragona for five months, where he sustained a serious knee injury that sidelined him for several months,Óscar López vuelve a romperse la rodilla (Óscar López shatters knee again); Marca, 14 September 2007 (in Spanish) although the move was extended for 2007–08. Upon his return to Andalusia in July 2008, he was told to look for a new team;Chaparro suelta lastre (Chaparro starts losing weight); Diario de Sevilla, 25 July 2008 (in Spanish) unable to do so, he spent the following year training with the club, although not registered at all.Óscar López: «No sé por qué Lopera ordenaba que no tuviera ficha o no jugara con el Betis» (Óscar López: "I do not know why Lopera ordered I was not registered or played by Betis"); ABC, 2 June 2010 (in Spanish)
On 4 February 2010, being completely ostracised at Betis, López was finally allowed to leave and joined Numancia of Segunda División.Óscar López rescinde el contrato con el Betis y se va al Numancia (Óscar López terminates contract with Betis and goes to Numancia); ABC, 2 February 2010 (in Spanish)Breve enciclopedia numantina (Brief numantina encyclopedia); Desde Soria, 29 May 2013 (in Spanish) He scored his only goal as a professional in his country on 16 May in a 1–1 home draw against Rayo Vallecano,Un entretenido empate que no sirve ninguno de los dos (Entertaining draw that suits no one); Marca, 16 May 2010 (in Spanish) as the Sorians eventually failed to return to the top tier; in June 2011, aged 31, he was released.
López moved to Go Ahead Eagles in the Dutch Eerste Divisie on 23 December 2011, on a deal until June 2012 with an option for an additional year.Go Ahead Eagles verrast met aantrekken ex-Barca-speler Oscar Lopez (Go Ahead Eagles surprise with signing of former Barça player Oscar Lopez); Go Ahead Eagles, 23 December 2011 (in Dutch)
Coaching career After retiring, López returned to the Camp Nou as a youth manager.Noticia SPORT: Óscar López regresa al Barça (SPORT newsflash: Óscar López returns to Barça); Sport, 7 November 2017 (in Spanish) He left his post in June 2024, having won two leagues and the 2021–22 edition of the Copa de Campeones Juvenil de Fútbol with the under-19s;Óscar López: "Estoy preparado para entrenar en el fútbol profesional" (Óscar López: "I'm ready to coach in professional football"); Sport, 23 June 2024 (in Spanish) several players of that side went on to represent the first team.Óscar López: "Lamine tiene tanto nivel que me centré en mejorar su fortaleza mental" (Óscar López: "Lamine has so much talent that I focused on improving his mental strength"); Sport, 14 February 2025 (in Spanish)
On 26 December 2025, López was named head coach of Segunda Federación side Castellón B, replacing Carles Salvador who moved into the club's structure.El Castellón anuncia para el banquillo de su filial a un ex del Barça que entrenó a Lamine Yamal (Castellón announce former Barça man who coached Lamine Yamal to bench of their reserves); Mundo Deportivo, 26 December 2025 (in Spanish)
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