Alicante Born in
Crevillent,
Alicante,
Valencian Community, Cristian played for several clubs as a youth, including local
Crevillente Deportivo and
Alicante CF. He made his debut for the latter's first team during the
2007–08 season, as they returned to
Segunda División after a 50-year absence. In the
following campaign, Cristian continued playing mostly with the reserves in the
Tercera División, with the main squad finally being relegated. He made his division two debut in a game against
Hércules CF on 6 June 2009, scoring in a 1–2
local derby home loss.
Castilla and Mestalla López signed for
Real Madrid Castilla in the summer of 2009, with
Real Madrid's reserves in the third division. He finished his
first year with ten goals – second-best in the squad – as the team finished eighth in the league. In January 2011, Cristian signed for
Valencia CF's
B team in the fourth level, in a
season-long loan. He scored in double digits as the
Che reserves returned to the third tier at the first attempt, and the move was made permanent in the summer. He added a further 11 goals
the following campaign, including four as they won 4–2 at
UE Sant Andreu on 13 May 2012. Cristian spent
2012–13 still in division three, with
CD Atlético Baleares. He ranked top scorer for the
Palma de Mallorca-based side, scoring twice on 31 March 2013 in a 3–0 home win over city rivals
RCD Mallorca B.
Huddersfield On 24 July 2013, trialist Cristian played for
Huddersfield Town against
Real Betis, in a 4–2
friendly loss at the
John Smith's Stadium, and he scored in the next pre-season match with
Oldham Athletic (3–2 defeat). The following week he signed a one-year deal with the Terriers, taking the number 19 shirt vacated by
Alan Lee. Cristian made his
Football League Championship on 3 August 2013, coming on as a
substitute in a 1–0 defeat at
Nottingham Forest – in the process, he became the club's first ever Spanish player in its 105-year history. On 10 October, however, he joined
Football League One side
Shrewsbury Town on a month's loan, becoming the first Spaniard to sign for the club. He scored his first goal for them and in
English football on the 22nd, in a 1–1 draw against
Colchester United at the
New Meadow, but returned to Huddersfield on 5 November following an injury crisis to its attacking sector. On 14 March 2014, López moved to
League Two's
Northampton Town, on loan for the rest of
the season. He was released by Huddersfield in May.
Burgos and CFR Cluj On 17 July 2014, Cristian joined
Burgos CF in the third tier, eventually helping his team to a
mid-table finish. He received a straight
red card on 11 October 2014 in a goalless draw at
CD Guijuelo, for a 15th-minute high challenge on Juli Ferrer. Cristian moved abroad for the second time in June 2015, signing with Romanian
Liga I's
CFR Cluj. He made his top-flight debut on 11 July, replacing
Guima for the final 20 minutes of a 2–2 draw at
FC Viitorul Constanța in the opening game of
the season. A month later, he scored his first goal for the
Feroviarii, the game's only at the
Stadionul Dr. Constantin Rădulescu against
FC Petrolul Ploiești, four minutes after coming on for
Leo Beleck. On 31 August 2015, Cristian recorded a
hat-trick in a 3–1 home win over
FC Botoșani. The following 17 May, in the final of the
Cupa României, he came on at
half-time for
Tomislav Gomelt and headed a last-minute equaliser as CFR came from behind to draw 2–2 against
FC Dinamo București before
winning in a
penalty shootout.
Lens Cristian switched countries again on 31 August 2016, when he joined
Ligue 2 club
RC Lens on a one-year deal with the option for a second. He made his debut nine days later, replacing
Kévin Fortuné for the final ten minutes of a 1–1 home draw with
FC Bourg-Pérronas, and scored his first goal on 20 September in a 4–2 victory over
US Orléans also at the
Stade Bollaert-Delelis. The team
finished fourth, one point off promotion, and he was joint-third amongst scorers with 16 goals. Cristian scored eight times in the first half of the
2017–18 season. He then embarked on a drought which lasted until the final two fixtures against
Tours FC and
AJ Auxerre, and fans petitioned for him to be given a new contract.
Angers On 31 August 2018, the last day of the 2018 summer transfer window,
free agent Cristian signed a one-year contract with
Angers SCO. His maiden appearance in
Ligue 1 took place on 6 October, when he played the last eight minutes of a 2–2 home draw to
RC Strasbourg Alsace. He scored his first goal late in same month, but in a 1–2 loss against
Olympique Lyonnais.
Hatta and Las Palmas On 19 August 2019, Cristian agreed to a one-year deal at
UAE Pro-League's
Hatta Club. The following 1 March, he signed with Spanish second-division side
UD Las Palmas for the rest of
the season with the option of one more.
Aris Cristian signed a two-year contract with
Aris Thessaloniki F.C. on 26 August 2020. He scored in his
Super League Greece debut, equalising against
PAS Lamia 1964 in an eventual 3–1 home win. On 1 February 2021, Cristian joined
FC Cartagena on loan until 30 June.
Eldense On 8 August 2022, López returned to his home country and moved to
Primera Federación club
CD Eldense. Mainly a backup, he contributed four goals in 27 total matches in his
only season, in a return to the second tier after 59 years. ==Career statistics==