Yunaira López
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Yunaira Jessely López Moreno[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 4 December 2004[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Carepa, Colombia[2] | ||
| Height | 1.69 m (5 ft 7 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | FC Juárez | ||
| Number | 5 | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| Independiente Medellín | |||
| 2023–2024 | Atlético Nacional | ||
| 2025 | Lexington SC | 1 | (0) |
| 2025– | FC Juárez | 0 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2022–2024 | Colombia U20 | 7+ | (1+) |
| 2025– | Colombia | 1 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 8 July 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 8 July 2025 | |||
Yunaira Jessely López Moreno (born 4 December 2004) is a Colombian professional footballer who plays as a defender for Liga MX Femenil club FC Juárez and the Colombia national team.
López started her career with Independiente Medellín before joining Atlético Nacional.[3] She was part of the squad that competed in the 2023 Copa Liberatores[4] before being eliminated in the semifinals.[5] In 2024, López showed stability, winning 83.5% of her aerial duels and 81.2% of her defensive duels.[3] She also scored a goal for Atlético Nacional in July 2024 to help the team climb to the top of the Colombian Women's Football League standings.[6]
On 22 January 2025, López signed with American club Lexington SC midway through the inaugural USL Super League season.[3] She made her USLS debut in a defeat to Spokane Zephyr FC on 16 April.[7] It would prove to be her only appearance with Lexington[8] before she parted ways with the club in May 2025.[9]
López signed with Liga MX Femenil team FC Juárez on 6 June 2025, bolstering the squad ahead of the 2025–26 Liga MX Femenil season.[10]
International career
Youth
López was included in Colombia's squad for the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.[11] She was a consistent starter as Colombia were eliminated in the quarterfinals.[3]
Two years later, López also played in the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, which was hosted by Colombia.[1] During the team's opening match,[12] against Australia, she scored Colombia's first tournament goal by capitalizing on a scramble in the box following a corner kick; Linda Caicedo also scored as Colombia secured a 2–0 victory to start off their campaign.[13][14] In the team's final group stage match, versus Mexico, López attempted to head an aerial ball when she collided with teammate Luisa Agudelo.[15] She sustained a blow to the head and was left laying prone on the field following the incident.[16] López was subsequently fitted with a neck brace,[15] stretchered off of the pitch, and transported to the Pablo Tobón Uribe Hospital via ambulance.[16] Medical staff later reported that while López had suffered mild head trauma, she was stable and had not developed any neurological disorders.[17] She was able to recover from the injury and made her return to the field in Colombia's quarterfinal match against the Netherlands, coming on as a substitute for Sintia Cabezas in extra time. The Netherlands eventually vanquished Colombia on penalties, ending the host's tournament run.[18]
Senior
López received her first call-up to the Colombian senior team in March 2025, ahead of a friendly match against Japan on 7 April.[19] She was awarded her first international cap and start as Colombia lost the game, 6–1.[2]
