In 2016, San Martín University signed Argentine forward Christian Ortiz as one of their foreign reinforcements. Ortiz arrived on loan from Independiente de Avellaneda in search of continuity. 'Tití' did not disappoint the expectations of the saints in his first season, as he ended up as one of the top scorers with 20 goals in 40 matches. These numbers sparked the interest of Sporting Cristal, who incorporated him into their ranks the following year to fight for the bicampeonato.
In the 2017 Descentralizado, Ortiz could not match his brilliant performance with San Martín in the Rímac. A total of 11 goals in 39 matches (plus six appearances in the Copa Libertadores) was the balance of his campaign, after which he returned to his country because there was no agreement between the club that owned his pass and the brewers to extend the loan.
His return to Independiente was short-lived, as he rescinded his contract in mid-2018 to join San Martín once again. In his second spell with the Santa Anita team, he did well, scoring seven goals in just 18 games. In 2019, he became a free agent and had the opportunity to take personal revenge by signing a three-year contract with Cristal.
Christian Ortiz had two spells at Sporting Cristal. Photo: Fabrizio Oviedo/GLR composition
YOU CAN SEE: Messi's viral 'reaction' to France's request to replay the World Cup final
Despite only scoring four goals in 25 games in his first season back with the team, Ortiz established himself as a key player in the attack due to his role as a left winger. With a guaranteed place in the starting eleven, the player was projected to have a more successful 2020, but destiny had other plans for him.
Transfer to Independiente del Valle
In early 2020, 'Tití' managed to score only one goal and play three official matches with the celestes (one in Liga 1 and two in the Copa Libertadores) before being transferred to Independiente del Valle of Ecuador, the reigning champion of the Copa Sudamericana 2019. The Matagigantes paid the approximately $500,000 clause to secure the Argentine's signature, who quickly adapted to his new team.
In 2020, the Rosario-born footballer scored nine goals in 29 matches (between LigaPro and Libertadores), and in 2021 he improved his stats with 10 goals in 20 games (both domestically and internationally). Although he was officially a national champion at the end of the year, he was not present at the moment of consecration as he had already left for a new destination.
At Independiente del Valle, Ortiz won his only title to date. Photo: EFE
YOU CAN SEE: The VAR called for a penalty for France when it was 2-2: the referee reveals all
Move to Mexico, United States, and return to Argentina
In July 2021, Xolos de Tijuana bought him for an undisclosed amount, but this operation increased the value of his transfer to 1.5 million euros. However, things did not go well for him at the Mexican club, as he failed to score in 17 Liga MX matches.
In 2022, he was loaned to MLS side Charlotte, who only had him for half a season after scoring three goals in 17 games. For the remaining months, he was repatriated by Defensa y Justicia in his native Argentina, where he only made seven appearances. Currently, his value is set at one million euros and he will have to return to Tijuana.