S. Lopez

Long before Tigre had any use for him, Independiente did: Santiago López arrived at the club's academy in 2017, an eleven-year-old from Unión de Nono, and signed his first professional contract there in February 2022, a deal that came with a $15 million buyout clause attached. The debut followed the next year, in a 1–0 Argentine Primera División win over Central Córdoba.

His clearest statement of ability came at youth level with the national team. At the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup, López scored twice for Argentina, including the winner against Venezuela in the round of 16, a performance that earned him the match ball as Man of the Match, and helped the side reach the semi-finals. He added three more goals at the CONMEBOL U-17 Championship that year, closing his U17 spell with 16 caps and 6 goals across two years. A pair of appearances for the U20s followed in 2025.

The move away from Independiente came in stages rather than all at once. A loan to Rosario Central in February 2025 brought 19 league appearances and two goals, before a free loan took him to Tigre this January. Since arriving, he has made 33 appearances across all competitions for the club, scoring twice and setting up five more for team-mates.