1. Overview
Hernán Jorge Crespo (Hernán Jorge Crespoeɾˈnaŋ ˈxoɾxe ˈkɾespoSpanish; born July 5, 1975) is an Argentine professional football coach and former player, widely regarded as one of the best strikers of his generation. Throughout a distinguished playing career spanning 19 years, he scored over 300 goals, showcasing exceptional positional awareness and aerial ability. He is Argentina's fourth highest goalscorer with 35 goals, behind only Sergio Agüero, Gabriel Batistuta, and Lionel Messi, and represented his country in three FIFA World Cups (1998, 2002, and 2006).
Crespo's club career saw him become the world's most expensive player when he transferred from Parma to Lazio in 2000 for 56.00 M EUR. He was the top scorer in the 2000-01 Serie A season with 26 goals while at Lazio. His honours include three Serie A scudetti, a Copa Libertadores, a Premier League title, and an Olympic Games silver medal. In 2004, he was named by Pelé in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players. Notably, Crespo never received a red card during his entire playing career. After retiring as a player in November 2012, Crespo transitioned into coaching, leading several clubs to significant titles, including the Copa Sudamericana with Defensa y Justicia, the Campeonato Paulista with São Paulo FC, a domestic treble with Al-Duhail SC, and the AFC Champions League with Al Ain FC.
2. Early Life and Background
Hernán Jorge Crespo was born on July 5, 1975, in Florida, a northern suburb of Buenos Aires, Argentina. His father was an ardent supporter of CA San Lorenzo de Almagro, which meant Crespo started playing football at a very young age. He joined the youth academy of River Plate, a club his father was passionate about. Crespo himself described his entry into the academy as somewhat coincidental.
During his time in the youth ranks, Crespo progressed steadily through the various categories but was not initially considered an exceptionally talented player, often serving as a reserve. Despite this, his dedication led him to sign a formal contract with the club at the age of 14, setting him on the path to the senior team.
3. Playing Career
Hernán Crespo's playing career spanned nearly two decades, during which he became one of the most prolific strikers in European football, particularly in Italy's Serie A.
3.1. River Plate
Crespo made his professional debut with River Plate during the 1993-94 season. He quickly made an impact, scoring 13 goals in 25 league appearances, helping River Plate secure the Apertura league title. Under the guidance of then-coach Daniel Passarella, Crespo was often deployed as a super-sub, seizing his opportunities with impressive goal tallies.
In the 1994-95 season, Passarella departed to manage the Argentina national team, and Crespo initially lost his place in the starting lineup under the new coach, managing only 5 goals. However, a change in management, bringing Ramón Díaz to the helm, saw Crespo reclaim his regular spot. He finished that season with 6 goals and later reflected that Díaz's patient support was crucial for regaining his confidence. In 1996, Crespo was instrumental in River Plate winning the Copa Libertadores, scoring twice in the home leg of the final in Buenos Aires.
3.2. Parma
Crespo's impressive performances earned him a move to Italian club Parma on August 14, 1996. This transfer followed his successful campaign with the Argentina Olympic squad at the 1996 Summer Olympics, where he finished as the tournament's top scorer with six goals and earned a silver medal.
Initially, Crespo struggled to adapt to Italian football, failing to score in his first six months and facing boos from the crowd. Head coach Carlo Ancelotti received criticism for continuing to select Crespo, but his faith was ultimately vindicated. Crespo went on to score 12 goals in 27 matches in his first Serie A season, helping Parma finish as runners-up to Juventus. A pivotal moment was the standing ovation he received for his brace against Cagliari in March 1997. Crespo further solidified his reputation by contributing to Parma's 1998-99 Coppa Italia triumph and their dominant 3-0 victory over Olympique de Marseille in the 1999 UEFA Cup Final, where he scored the opening goal. He netted a remarkable 80 goals in his four seasons with the club.
3.3. Lazio
In 2000, after four successful years at Parma, Lazio broke the then-world transfer record to acquire Crespo. The deal was valued at 35.00 M GBP, comprising 16.00 M GBP in cash plus the transfer of Matías Almeyda and Sérgio Conceição. In his debut season with Lazio, Crespo immediately justified his hefty price tag by finishing as Serie A's top scorer with 26 goals in the 2000-01 season.
However, Lazio failed to defend their league title in 2001, and the following season was marred by injuries for Crespo. New signings like Gaizka Mendieta did not live up to expectations, and the departures of key playmakers Juan Sebastián Verón and Pavel Nedvěd left Crespo without the consistent attacking support he had enjoyed previously. Despite these challenges, he still managed a respectable number of goals. Lazio's worsening financial problems eventually compelled the club to sell several star players, including Alessandro Nesta to AC Milan and Crespo himself.
3.4. Inter Milan
On August 31, 2002, Crespo signed with Inter Milan for a fee of 26.00 M EUR plus Bernardo Corradi, serving as a replacement for the departing Ronaldo. Inter was facing a shortage of strikers after Mohamed Kallon suffered an Tmjury in August, leaving only Álvaro Recoba, Christian Vieri, and Nicola Ventola as available options.
Crespo managed to score seven goals in 18 Serie A appearances and an impressive nine goals in 12 Champions League matches during his first stint with Inter. However, his season was cut short in early 2003 when he was sidelined for four months due to injury, limiting his overall impact.
3.5. Chelsea
On August 26, 2003, Crespo completed a transfer to Premier League club Chelsea for a reported fee of 16.80 M GBP. The transfer generated controversy, with former Inter teammate Christian Vieri claiming that the club was weakening itself by selling players of Crespo's caliber.
He made his league debut for Chelsea on August 30, 2003, coming on as a substitute for Adrian Mutu in a 2-2 home draw against Blackburn Rovers. Four days later, on September 16, he made his European debut, replacing Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink in the Champions League group stage, which resulted in a 1-0 away win against Sparta Prague. His first goals for Chelsea came on September 20, 2003, when he scored a double in a 5-0 away victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers. During his first season, Crespo made 31 appearances across all competitions, scoring 12 goals.
3.5.1. Loan to AC Milan
Following the arrival of Didier Drogba and José Mourinho as Chelsea manager for the 2004-05 season, Crespo found himself surplus to requirements and was loaned to AC Milan at the request of then-manager Carlo Ancelotti, under whom he had played at Parma. He rediscovered his form at Milan, scoring a total of ten league goals. He famously scored twice in the 2005 UEFA Champions League Final against Liverpool, though Milan ultimately lost the match after a dramatic comeback. In scoring a Champions League goal with Milan, Crespo achieved a unique feat: he became the first player to score for five different teams in the competition, having done so with every club he had played for since moving to Europe in 1996.
3.5.2. Return to Chelsea
After Chelsea's unsuccessful attempts to sign another high-profile striker in the summer of 2005, José Mourinho recalled Crespo from his loan spell at Milan, convincing him of a future role at Chelsea. Crespo made his first appearance back for Chelsea in a 2-1 victory over Arsenal in the FA Community Shield. He scored his first league goal of the 2005-06 season in the 93rd minute of Chelsea's opener against newly promoted Wigan Athletic, a 25 yd curling shot into the top corner that secured a 1-0 win. Crespo played a significant role in Chelsea's 2005-06 league title victory, which marked his first league championship in European football. He scored 10 goals in 30 Premier League appearances during this season, totaling 13 goals in all competitions.
3.6. Return to Inter Milan
Despite scoring 13 goals in all competitions and winning the Premier League in the 2005-06 season, Crespo expressed a desire to return to Italy. Chelsea initially refused, stating he would remain with the club until a suitable offer was accepted. On August 7, 2006, Crespo re-joined Inter Milan on a two-year loan agreement.
During this second spell at Inter, Crespo continued to be a potent force. He scored his 125th Serie A goal against Siena on December 2, 2006, and reached a milestone 200th career goal in Europe on April 2, 2007. On May 13, he scored a hat-trick in Inter's 4-3 victory over Lazio, a performance that helped secure the Scudetto for the club. He formed an effective partnership with Zlatan Ibrahimović, contributing to Inter's record-breaking 17 consecutive league wins.
Following the expiration of his loan, Crespo was released from Chelsea on July 3, 2008, as his contract concluded. He then signed a one-year permanent contract with Inter Milan on a free transfer. However, his third spell at Inter was less prominent. Under his former Chelsea manager José Mourinho, Crespo found playing opportunities limited, making only 13 Serie A appearances, including just two starts. He was notably excluded from the club's Champions League squad for the 2008-09 season, often being left out of the matchday squad unless other key players were injured or suspended.
3.7. Genoa
After his contract with Inter Milan expired, Crespo was quickly signed by Genoa on June 8, 2009, effectively taking the place of Diego Milito, who moved in the opposite direction. Crespo stated that his move to Genoa was driven by his ambition to secure a spot in the Argentina squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He scored his first goal for Genoa on September 13, 2009, against Napoli. However, he found playing opportunities limited at Genoa, which hindered his World Cup aspirations.
3.8. Return to Parma and Retirement
In January 2010, Crespo made an emotional return to Parma, the club where he had previously spent four highly successful seasons. The transfer involved a swap deal where Atalanta acquired Nicola Amoruso, and Genoa received Robert Acquafresca, while Crespo rejoined Parma after a decade away. He scored just once before the end of the 2009-10 season, against Livorno.
Crespo enjoyed a more fruitful 2010-11 season, netting eleven goals. This made him Parma's top scorer for a fourth time, a post-war club record. Despite increasing speculation about his departure, Crespo signed a one-year contract extension on June 30, 2011. However, a continued lack of first-team opportunities led to Crespo and Parma mutually agreeing to terminate his contract on February 2, 2012. At the time of his departure, he was the club's all-time record goalscorer with 94 goals in 201 appearances across all his spells. He vowed to return to the city he had grown to love. Although he was signed to play in the Bengal Premier League Soccer in late January 2012 for a salary of 533.00 K GBP for the two-month tournament, the competition never commenced. Crespo officially confirmed that his career as a professional footballer concluded in November 2012.
4. International Career
Crespo's international career with the Argentina national team began with his first cap in a friendly match against Bulgaria in February 1995. He was part of the Argentina squad that finished runners-up in the 1995 King Fahd Cup, the predecessor to the FIFA Confederations Cup.
In 1996, Crespo was a key member of the Argentina men's football squad for the Olympic Games in Atlanta. He played a crucial role in leading Argentina to the final, scoring braces against Spain in the quarter-final and Portugal in the semi-final. Despite Crespo scoring his sixth goal of the tournament from a penalty kick in the final, Argentina ultimately lost 3-2 to Nigeria, settling for a silver medal.
Crespo scored his first goal for the senior Argentina team in a 1998 World Cup qualifier against Ecuador. He also netted a hat-trick against FR Yugoslavia in a pre-World Cup friendly. Although called up for the final roster for the 1998 World Cup, he made only one substitute appearance, as Gabriel Batistuta was preferred to lead the Argentine attack. Crespo's penalty attempt was saved by David Seaman during the second-round penalty shootout against England, but Argentina still progressed 4-3.
During qualification for the 2002 World Cup, Crespo was Argentina's top scorer with nine goals, as they topped the South American qualifying group. In the finals, Batistuta was again favored over Crespo as Argentina's starting center forward. Crespo appeared as a substitute in all three group matches, including the final match against Sweden, which Argentina needed to win to qualify for the second round. Crespo scored an 88th-minute equalizer, but it was not enough, and Argentina was eliminated.
After the 2002 World Cup, Batistuta retired from international football, and Crespo took over as Argentina's primary number 9. During the 2006 World Cup qualifying stage, Crespo scored seven times, including two crucial goals in Argentina's 3-1 victory over arch-rivals Brazil in Buenos Aires, which sealed their qualification. This achievement also made him Argentina's career scoring leader in World Cup qualifiers.
Crespo scored Argentina's first goal of the 2006 World Cup in their opening match against the Ivory Coast. He also found the net in the next game against Serbia and Montenegro, a match Argentina won convincingly 6-0. His third goal of the tournament came in the second-round match against Mexico. Argentina's run was eventually halted in the quarter-finals when they were knocked out by host nation Germany on penalties. For his performance, Crespo received the Silver Shoe and was included in the 2006 FIFA World Cup All-star team.
Crespo's final appearances for Argentina came at the 2007 Copa América. He scored twice in Argentina's 4-1 victory over the United States in their Group C opener, which tied Diego Maradona's team scoring record. He then surpassed Maradona's record in Argentina's second match by scoring a penalty kick against Colombia. However, he was substituted immediately after converting the penalty due to injury and missed the remainder of the tournament. After the 2007 Copa América, Crespo did not receive any further call-ups to the national team. He concluded his international career with 35 goals in 64 matches, making him Argentina's fourth highest goalscorer of all time.
5. Style of Play and Nicknames
Crespo was known for his versatile and highly effective playing style. He was a fast, tenacious, and powerful striker who possessed excellent technique, composure in possession, and a keen eye for goal. A prolific and opportunistic scorer, he was adept at finishing with both feet and was renowned for his heading ability, often scoring acrobatic goals.
Beyond his direct goalscoring, Crespo was highly effective off the ball due to his impressive work-rate, tactical intelligence, and intelligent attacking movement. He frequently utilized his movement to provide depth for his team's attacks or to create space for his teammates. He was also capable of linking up well with other forwards, contributing to cohesive attacking play. Despite facing several injuries throughout his career, which at times limited his playing time, his wide range of skills and goalscoring ability led him to be regarded as one of the best strikers of his generation and one of Serie A's greatest ever foreign players.
5.1. Nicknames
While commonly known as Hernán, Crespo was christened Hernando Jorge Crespo, after his grandfather of the same name. His most common nickname is "Valdanito" (ValdanitoSpanish), which means "little Valdano," given to him because of his perceived resemblance and similar eye for goal to the legendary Argentine striker Jorge Valdano. He was also, though less frequently, called "El Polaco" (El PolacoSpanish, or "The Pole"). This nickname originated from his family, who addressed him this way in his youth due to his noticeably light hair.
6. Personal Life
In May 2005, Hernán Crespo married Italian equestrian Alessia Andra Rossi. The couple has three children.
Beyond his athletic achievements, Crespo also engaged in media activities. He was sponsored by sportswear company Nike and featured prominently in their commercials. In a global Nike advertising campaign leading up to the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Crespo starred in the "Secret Tournament" commercial, also known as "Scorpion KO," directed by Terry Gilliam. In the advertisement, he appeared alongside other prominent footballers such as Thierry Henry, Ronaldo, Francesco Totti, Ronaldinho, Luís Figo, Roberto Carlos, and Hidetoshi Nakata, with former player Eric Cantona serving as the tournament's "referee."
Crespo's impact also extended to literature; his farewell football match is the subject of a novel titled Il bulgaro che fu re di Parma per un giorno (Il bulgaro che fu re di Parma per un giornoItalian, "The Bulgarian who was king of Parma for a day"), written by Luca Farinotti and published in 2019. The title references a winning assist by Bulgarian player Valeri Bojinov to Crespo in the final seconds of that match.
7. Post-playing and Managerial Career
After officially retiring from professional football in November 2012, Hernán Crespo announced his intention to pursue a coaching career, beginning in early July 2013.
7.1. Parma Youth Team and Modena Manager
Crespo began his coaching journey by serving as the youth coach for the Primavera team of Parma during the 2014-15 season. However, Parma subsequently faced financial difficulties and was disbanded.
On June 30, 2015, Crespo was appointed as the new manager of Serie B club Modena. His tenure lasted until March 26, 2016, when he was sacked with the club sitting just one point above the relegation zone. The announcement of his dismissal was notably dramatic, as his wife reportedly interrupted the press conference, publicly accusing the club of unpaid wages.
7.2. Parma Club Vice President and Ambassador
On June 22, 2017, Crespo rejoined his former club Parma in an administrative capacity. Following the acquisition of a 60% stake in the club by Chinese businessman Jiang Lizhang, Crespo was appointed as the new vice president. Prior to this, he had served as a technical adviser for Jiang's company, Desport. On January 2, 2018, as the club decided to remove the vice-president role from its board, Crespo transitioned into a new position as Parma's club ambassador.
7.3. Banfield Manager
On December 19, 2018, Crespo took on his first senior managerial role in his home country, being appointed manager of Argentine Primera División side Banfield on an 18-month deal. After finishing 16th in his inaugural season, his second season began poorly with only one win in five games, leading to his dismissal on September 3, 2019.
7.4. Defensa y Justicia Manager
On January 25, 2020, Crespo was appointed manager of Defensa y Justicia, another club in the Argentine top tier. Under his leadership, Defensa y Justicia, a relatively unknown club, achieved a historic milestone. On January 23, 2021, Crespo guided them to their first-ever international trophy, winning the 2020 Copa Sudamericana by defeating Lanús 3-0 in the final. This marked Crespo's first major managerial title. His record with Defensa y Justicia included 13 wins, 10 draws, and 9 losses in 32 official matches. He left the club on February 8, 2021.
7.5. São Paulo Manager
On February 12, 2021, Crespo was appointed manager of Brazilian Série A club São Paulo on a two-year contract. He made his managerial debut 16 days later in the Campeonato Paulista, a 1-1 home draw against Botafogo. Crespo led São Paulo to win the Campeonato Paulista title on May 23, 2021, after a 2-0 aggregate victory over Palmeiras. This marked the club's first trophy in nine years and their first Campeonato Paulista title since 2005. On October 13, 2021, Crespo mutually agreed to part ways with São Paulo, with the club sitting 13th in the national league after 25 games. He was replaced by club icon Rogério Ceni.
7.6. Al-Duhail Manager
On March 24, 2022, Crespo succeeded Luís Castro as manager of Al-Duhail in the Qatar Stars League. In his first season, Crespo achieved a domestic treble, winning the league, the Qatar Cup, and the Qatari Stars Cup. He also guided Al-Duhail to the semi-finals of the AFC Champions League. On October 11, 2023, he left his position at the club by mutual consent, following a poor start to the 2023-24 season, which included a difficult run in the AFC Champions League.
7.7. Al Ain Manager
After his departure from Al-Duhail, Crespo was appointed manager of UAE Pro League club Al Ain in November 2023. He led the team to the final of the AFC Champions League, where they faced Yokohama F. Marinos. After losing the first leg 1-2, Al Ain secured a dominant 5-1 victory in the second leg on May 25, 2024, to win the title 6-3 on aggregate. This marked Al Ain's second Asian Champions League title and their first in 21 years. Despite this success, Crespo was dismissed on November 6, 2024, following a series of poor results in the 2024-25 season, including a 5-1 defeat to Al Nassr in the ACL Elite league stage, leaving Al Ain at the bottom of their group.
8. Honours
Hernán Crespo achieved numerous team and individual accolades throughout his distinguished playing and managerial careers.
8.1. As Player
- River Plate
- Argentine Primera División: 1993 (Apertura), 1994 (Apertura)
- Copa Libertadores: 1996
- Parma
- Coppa Italia: 1998-99
- Supercoppa Italiana: 1999
- UEFA Cup: 1998-99
- Lazio
- Supercoppa Italiana: 2000
- AC Milan
- Supercoppa Italiana: 2004
- UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2004-05
- Chelsea
- Premier League: 2005-06
- FA Community Shield: 2005
- Inter Milan
- Serie A: 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09
- Supercoppa Italiana: 2006, 2008
- Coppa Italia runner-up: 2006-07, 2007-08
- Argentina National Team
- Pan American Games Gold Medal: 1995
- Olympic Games Silver Medal: 1996
- Individual Player Awards
- Argentine Primera División top scorer: 1993-94
- Football at the Summer Olympics top scorer: 1996 (shared)
- UEFA Cup Final Man of the Match: 1999
- Coppa Italia top scorer: 1998-99, 2006-07 (shared)
- Serie A top scorer: 2000-01
- ESM Team of the Year: 2000-01
- FIFA 100
- FIFA World Cup Silver Shoe: 2006
- FIFA World Cup All-star team: 2006
- FIFPro World XI nominee: 2005, 2006
8.2. As Manager
- Defensa y Justicia
- Copa Sudamericana: 2020
- São Paulo
- Campeonato Paulista: 2021
- Al-Duhail
- Qatar Stars League: 2022-23
- Qatari Stars Cup: 2022-23
- Qatar Cup: 2023
- Al Ain
- AFC Champions League: 2023-24
- Individual Managerial Awards
- Copa Sudamericana Manager of the Year: 2020
- Campeonato Paulista Manager of the Year: 2021
9. Career Statistics
9.1. Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| River Plate | 1993-94 | Primera División | 25 | 16 | - | - | 3 | 0 | - | 28 | 16 | |||
| 1994-95 | Primera División | 18 | 4 | - | - | 4 | 2 | - | 22 | 6 | ||||
| 1995-96 | Primera División | 21 | 4 | - | - | 13 | 10 | - | 34 | 14 | ||||
| Total | 64 | 24 | - | - | 20 | 12 | - | 84 | 36 | |||||
| Parma | 1996-97 | Serie A | 27 | 12 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | 28 | 12 | |||
| 1997-98 | Serie A | 25 | 12 | 2 | 0 | - | 8 | 2 | - | 35 | 14 | |||
| 1998-99 | Serie A | 30 | 16 | 7 | 6 | - | 8 | 6 | - | 45 | 28 | |||
| 1999-2000 | Serie A | 34 | 22 | 2 | 1 | - | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 43 | 27 | ||
| Total | 116 | 62 | 12 | 6 | - | 21 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 151 | 80 | |||
| Lazio | 2000-01 | Serie A | 32 | 26 | 1 | 0 | - | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 28 | |
| 2001-02 | Serie A | 22 | 13 | 4 | 4 | - | 7 | 3 | - | 33 | 20 | |||
| Total | 54 | 39 | 5 | 4 | - | 13 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 73 | 48 | |||
| Inter Milan | 2002-03 | Serie A | 18 | 7 | 0 | 0 | - | 12 | 9 | - | 30 | 16 | ||
| Chelsea | 2003-04 | Premier League | 19 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 2 | - | 31 | 12 | |
| 2005-06 | Premier League | 30 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 13 | |
| Total | 49 | 20 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 73 | 25 | ||
| AC Milan (loan) | 2004-05 | Serie A | 28 | 10 | 1 | 1 | - | 10 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 17 | |
| Inter Milan (loan) | 2006-07 | Serie A | 29 | 14 | 4 | 4 | - | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 40 | 20 | |
| 2007-08 | Serie A | 19 | 4 | 5 | 2 | - | 5 | 1 | - | 29 | 7 | |||
| Total | 48 | 18 | 9 | 6 | - | 11 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 69 | 27 | |||
| Inter Milan | 2008-09 | Serie A | 14 | 2 | 3 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | - | 17 | 2 | ||
| Genoa | 2009-10 | Serie A | 16 | 5 | 1 | 0 | - | 4 | 2 | - | 21 | 7 | ||
| Parma | 2009-10 | Serie A | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 13 | 1 | |||
| 2010-11 | Serie A | 29 | 9 | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | 31 | 11 | ||||
| 2011-12 | Serie A | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | 6 | 2 | ||||
| Total | 46 | 10 | 4 | 4 | - | - | - | 50 | 14 | |||||
| Career total | 453 | 197 | 40 | 22 | 3 | 0 | 106 | 51 | 6 | 2 | 608 | 272 | ||
9.2. International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 1995 | 1 | 0 |
| 1996 | 2 | 0 | |
| 1997 | 9 | 3 | |
| 1998 | 3 | 3 | |
| 1999 | 4 | 1 | |
| 2000 | 8 | 4 | |
| 2001 | 6 | 6 | |
| 2002 | 4 | 2 | |
| 2003 | 5 | 3 | |
| 2004 | 4 | 1 | |
| 2005 | 7 | 6 | |
| 2006 | 6 | 3 | |
| 2007 | 5 | 3 | |
| Total | 64 | 35 | |
Scores and results list Argentina's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Crespo goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 30 April 1997 | El Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina | Ecuador | 2-0 | 2-1 | 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2 | 8 June 1997 | El Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina | Peru | 1-0 | 2-0 | 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 3 | 20 July 1997 | El Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina | Venezuela | 1-0 | 2-0 | 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 4 | 24 February 1998 | Estadio José María Minella, Mar del Plata, Argentina | Federal Republic of Yugoslavia | 1-0 | 3-1 | Friendly |
| 5 | 2-1 | |||||
| 6 | 3-1 | |||||
| 7 | 4 September 1999 | El Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina | Brazil | 2-0 | 2-0 | Friendly |
| 8 | 26 April 2000 | Estadio José Pachencho Romero, Maracaibo, Venezuela | Venezuela | 4-0 | 4-0 | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 9 | 29 June 2000 | Estadio El Campín, Bogotá, Colombia | Colombia | 3-1 | 3-1 | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 10 | 19 July 2000 | El Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina | Ecuador | 1-0 | 2-0 | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 11 | 3 September 2000 | Estadio Nacional, Lima, Peru | Peru | 1-0 | 2-1 | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 12 | 28 February 2001 | Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy | Italy | 2-1 | 2-1 | Friendly |
| 13 | 28 March 2001 | El Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina | Venezuela | 1-0 | 5-0 | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 14 | 28 April 2001 | Estadio Hernando Siles, La Paz, Bolivia | Bolivia | 1-1 | 3-3 | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 15 | 2-3 | |||||
| 16 | 3 June 2001 | El Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina | Colombia | 3-0 | 3-0 | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 17 | 15 August 2001 | Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa, Quito, Ecuador | Ecuador | 2-0 | 2-0 | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 18 | 12 June 2002 | Hitomebore Stadium Miyagi, Rifu, Miyagi, Japan | Sweden | 1-1 | 1-1 | 2002 FIFA World Cup |
| 19 | 20 November 2002 | Saitama Stadium, Saitama, Japan | Japan | 2-0 | 2-0 | Friendly |
| 20 | 9 September 2003 | Estadio Olímpico, Caracas, Venezuela | Venezuela | 2-0 | 3-0 | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 21 | 15 November 2003 | El Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina | Bolivia | 2-0 | 3-0 | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 22 | 19 November 2003 | Estadio Metropolitano, Barranquilla, Colombia | Colombia | 1-0 | 1-1 | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 23 | 30 March 2004 | El Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina | Ecuador | 1-0 | 1-0 | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 24 | 9 February 2005 | LTU-Arena, Düsseldorf, Germany | Germany | 1-1 | 2-2 | Friendly |
| 25 | 2-2 | |||||
| 26 | 30 March 2005 | El Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina | Colombia | 1-0 | 1-0 | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 27 | 8 June 2005 | El Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina | Brazil | 1-0 | 3-1 | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 28 | 3-0 | |||||
| 29 | 12 November 2005 | Stade de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland | England | 1-0 | 2-3 | Friendly |
| 30 | 10 June 2006 | FIFA WM Stadion Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany | Ivory Coast | 1-0 | 2-1 | 2006 FIFA World Cup |
| 31 | 16 June 2006 | FIFA WM Stadion Gelsenkirchen, Gelsenkirchen, Germany | Serbia and Montenegro | 4-0 | 6-0 | 2006 FIFA World Cup |
| 32 | 24 June 2006 | Zentralstadion, Leipzig, Germany | Mexico | 1-1 | 2-1 | 2006 FIFA World Cup |
| 33 | 28 June 2007 | Estadio José Pachencho Romero, Maracaibo, Venezuela | United States | 1-1 | 4-1 | 2007 Copa América |
| 34 | 2-1 | |||||
| 35 | 2 July 2007 | Estadio José Pachencho Romero, Maracaibo, Venezuela | Colombia | 1-1 | 4-2 | 2007 Copa América |
10. Managerial Statistics
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Games managed | Games won | Games drawn | Games lost | Goals for | Goals against | Goal difference | Winning percentage | ||||
| Modena | ITA | 1 July 2015 | 26 March 2016 | 11|5|19|31|40|-9|31.43 | |||||||
| Banfield | ARG | 1 January 2019 | 3 September 2019 | 4|6|8|21|26|-5|22.22 | |||||||
| Defensa y Justicia | 27 January 2020 | 7 February 2021 | 14|10|9|49|42|+7|42.42 | ||||||||
| São Paulo | BRA | 12 February 2021 | 13 October 2021 | 24|19|10|88|49|+39|45.28 | |||||||
| Al-Duhail | QAT | 24 March 2022 | 3 October 2023 | 35|8|7|114|67|+47|70.00 | |||||||
| Al Ain | UAE | 14 November 2023 | 6 November 2024 | 22|7|20|99|83|+16|44.90 | |||||||
| Total | 110|55|73|402|307|+95|46.22 | ||||||||||