Lucas Licht

{{Short description|Argentine professional footballer (born 1981)}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Lucas Licht

| image =

| fullname = Lucas Matías Licht

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1981|4|6|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Rosario, Argentina

| height = 1.74 m

| position = Left-back

| currentclub = Villa San Carlos

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Gimnasia LP

| years1 = 1999–2006

| years2 = 2006–2009

| years3 = 2009–2012

| years4 = 2012–2021

| years5 = 2022–

| clubs1 = Gimnasia LP

| clubs2 = Getafe

| clubs3 = Racing Club

| clubs4 = Gimnasia LP

| clubs5 = Villa San Carlos

| caps1 = 132

| caps2 = 70

| caps3 = 56

| caps4 = 201

| caps5 = 45

| totalcaps =

| goals1 = 8

| goals2 = 1

| goals3 = 1

| goals4 = 22

| goals5 = 12

| totalgoals =

| club-update = 15:28, 19 April 2023 (UTC)

}}

Lucas Matías Licht (born 6 April 1981) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays for Club Atlético Villa San Carlos mainly as a left-back but also as a left winger.

Club career

Born in Rosario, Santa Fe, Licht grew up in the youth academy of Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata, starting as a midfielder and making his professional debut in 2001. For three years, Israeli club Maccabi Haifa F.C. had him on the club's transfer shortlist due to his Jewish heritage, as he would not count as a foreigner;{{cite web|url=http://sports.ep.walla.co.il/?w=/7/550662|script-title=he:בנאדו: "מוכן להרוויח פחות, אבל להרגיש רצוי"|trans-title=Benado: "Ready to earn less, but to feel wanted"|publisher=Walla!|first=Doron|last=Bergerfreund|language=Hebrew|date=1 June 2004|accessdate=21 September 2009|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721140828/http://sports.ep.walla.co.il/?w=%2F7%2F550662|archivedate=21 July 2011|df=dmy-all}} he eventually joined Maccabi Netanya F.C. for a trial, but they decided not to offer him a contract.

After one more trial in Israel, with Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona FC, Licht returned to Argentina where he played one last season with Gimnasia.{{cite web|url=https://euro.walla.co.il/?w=//1168489|script-title=he:המסורת היהודית|trans-title=|publisher=Walla!|first=Sagiv|last=Baram|language=Hebrew|date=13 June 2007|accessdate=30 June 2008}} In 2006's Clausura, he struck from 40 meters to score the game's only goal away against Club Atlético Independiente.[http://www.infobae.com/contenidos/239098-1-0-Gimnasia-le-dio-otro-golpe-Independiente Gimnasia le dio otro golpe a Independiente (Gimnasia struck another blow at Independiente)]; Infobae, 19 February 2006 (in Spanish)[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vCRttzZmxU Licht's half-volley]; at YouTube

On 17 July 2006, Licht joined La Liga side Getafe CF, signing a four-year contract.[https://archive.today/20120914100051/http://www.tycsports.com/global/not_detail.php?id=20305 Lucas Licht se va a jugar al Getafe (Lucas Licht goes to play with Getafe)]; Torneos y Competencias, 17 July 2006 (in Spanish) In his first season he only appeared in eight games as a backup to Javier Paredes but, as the latter joined Real Zaragoza, he became the undisputed starter; on 22 December 2007, he scored his first goal for the Madrid outskirts team in a 2–0 win at UD Almería,[http://espnfc.com/uk/en/report/226614/report.html?soccernet=true&cc=5739 Almeria 0–2 Getafe]; ESPN Soccernet, 22 December 2007 adding eight appearances in their quarter-final run in the UEFA Cup.

On 13 December 2009, after having been deemed surplus to requirements by manager Míchel – he did not make the list of 18 in the vast majority of the official matches – Licht was released[http://www.getafecf.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1894&Itemid=22 Licht se desvincula del Getafe (Licht cuts ties with Getafe)]; Getafe CF, 13 December 2009 (in Spanish) and returned to his country, penning a three-year deal with Racing Club de Avellaneda.[http://racingclub.com.ar.mx190.sinspam.com/detalle.php?id=1340&seccion=noticias Lucas Licht fue presentado como el primer refuerzo para 2010 (Lucas Licht presented as first 2010 signing)] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20091216054901/http://racingclub.com.ar.mx190.sinspam.com/detalle.php?id=1340&seccion=noticias|date=16 December 2009}}; Racing Club, 16 December 2009 (in Spanish)