Erik López joined Atlanta United 2 on loan from Paraguayan side Olimpia on July 18, 2020. López joined the Atlanta United first team on a permanent transfer on January 1, 2021.
After making his Atlanta United debut against Club América in the 2020 Concacaf Champions League quarterfinals, López made 10 starts and 18 appearances in his first MLS season in 2021, scoring one goal.
The 20-year-old forward had played his entire career with Olimpia, the most successful club in the Paraguayan Primera Division. López joined Olimpia’s youth academy when he was 13 years old. He worked his way through the youth ranks and made his senior team debut on August 25, 2019 against Deportivo Santani. The young striker scored on his debut in a 4-0 victory. The Asuncion, Paraguay native went on to score three goals in his first three appearances in the 2019 Clausura. He finished the campaign with 12 total appearances, scoring four goals and adding two assists. Olimpia finished the 2019 season in first place in both the Apertura and Clausura seasons.
López has played on the international level with the Paraguayan U-23 national team, most recently in Olympic Qualifying for the 2021 Tokyo games. He was the only 18-year-old on the Paraguayan squad. He played three of the four matches, making one start, as Paraguay failed to qualify for the 2021 Olympics.
2021 (Atlanta United): Started 10 of 18 MLS appearances. Scored first club goal against Nashville SC on May 29. Concacaf Champions League: Started the second leg of the quarterfinals against Philadelphia Union.
2020 (Atlanta United): Was in the starting XI to make his club debut in Atlanta’s second leg 1-0 win against Club América in the Concacaf Champions League quarterfinals.
