About Gerard López
Gerard López Segú (Catalan pronunciation: [ʒəˈɾaɾt ˈlɔpəθ səˈɣu]; born 12 March 1979), usually known as just Gerard, is a Spanish former professional footballer, currently manager of the Catalonia national team. An all-around midfielder, he was known for precision passes and ball control skills. During his career, he played for several clubs, including Barcelona and Valencia, helping the latter to reach the 2000 Champions League final. Over nine seasons, Gerard amassed La Liga totals of 183 matches and 16 goals. He participated with Spain at Euro 2000. == Club career == === Barcelona and Valencia === Born in Granollers, Barcelona, Catalonia, Gerard began his career in the FC Barcelona youth system and, in the 1996–97 season, made his professional debut with its B team. As a 17-year-old he was signed by Valencia CF, making his La Liga debut on 31 August 1997 in a 2–1 away loss against RCD Mallorca (90 minutes played); for the 1998–99 campaign he was loaned to Deportivo Alavés, which had returned to the top flight after a four-decade absence. After a breakout season with the Basque side, scoring a squad-best seven goals, Gerard returned to Valencia, helping them to reach the final of the UEFA Champions League. During this time with the Che, he came to be regarded as one of the top players in Spain and, after receiving interest from several top clubs in Europe, including Inter Milan, A.C. Milan and Manchester United, he decided to join his former club Barcelona in July 2000, in a deal worth €24 million; when he netted three times for Valencia against SS Lazio on 5 April 2000, he became the youngest player ever to achieve this feat in the knockout stages of the Champions League. Gerard would go on to appear regularly for the team during his five-year second spell, although never an undisputed starter.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.