Radamel Falcao

At 38 years old, Radamel Falcao has this physical status:

Radamel Falcao Garca Zárate (born 10 February 1986) is a Colombian professional footballer who plays for La Liga club Rayo Vallecano and is often captains the Colombian national team. He is regarded as one of the best Colombian footballers of all time by Nicknamed "El Tigre" (Spanish for The Tiger).

Falcao started his playing career in the Colombian Second Division at the age of 13 before moving to River Plate, Argentina, where he competed with their youth academy from 2001 to 2005, where he later won the 2007–08 Clausura tournament. He joined Portuguese club Porto in 2009, where he gained numerous trophies, including the UEFA Europa League and Primeira Liga double in 2011. Falcao sold to Atlético Madrid, Spain, in August 2011, a new club record. He was instrumental in the club's 2012 Europa League and Super Cup victories. Falcao was also prolific in La Liga during his time with Atlético, finishing third in 2011–12 and 2012–13, all behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Falcao was widely regarded as one of the world's best strikers, signing for newly promoted Ligue 1 side Monaco in 2013 for a club record €60 million, despite opposition from top European clubs. An ACL injury kept him out for six months in the second half of his debut season, and he went on to spend the next two seasons on loan at Premier League clubs Manchester United and Chelsea. In the summer of 2016, Rejoining Monaco, he regained his best form and led the team to their first Ligue 1 title in 17 years. Falcao joined Galatasaray, Turkey, in 2019, before returning to La Liga in 2021 with Rayo Vallecano.

Falcao made his senior debut for Colombia in 2007, and since has scored over 100 caps and 35 goals, making him the country's all-time top scorer since breaking the previous record of 25 goals in June 2017. He represented his country at the 2011 and 2019 Copa América. Falcao did not attend the 2014 FIFA World Cup due to injury, but he made his World Cup debut in Russia at the 2018 World Cup.

Falcao, Porto's all-time top goalscorer in international club competitions, set the record for most goals (17) in a European campaign in 2011 (Porto and Atlético in 2012), and is Monaco's highest goalscorer this century (83). He was named in the FIFA World XI 2012 XI, finished in fifth place for the 2012 FIFA Ballon d'Or, and was named the 2012 Globe Soccer Best Footballer. Falcao was honoured by the Atlético Madrid followers with a plaque outside the Metropolitano Stadium in November 2018.

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Club career

Falcao made his Lanceros Boyacá debut in the Colombian Categora B (second class) on August 28, 1999, when he appeared in the last 40 minutes against Deportivo Pereira at the age of 13 years and 199 days, becoming the youngest debutant at that level of Colombian professional football. Hernán Pacheco, Lanceros' head coach, began to think about the 14-year-old's return; Falcao played seven games this year. Leo Varado, his first and only goal for the club, scored a 2–0 victory over Club El Cóndor, keeping Lanceros off the bottom of the table. He appeared in eight games and scored once during his two years with the club.

Falcao was sold to River Plate of Argentina in February 2001 for a $500,000 fee after training with Millonarios, who did not take up their opportunity to buy the player. He began his River service in the youth team, playing in Argentina's eighth division. Leonardo Astrada, River's coach, gave Falcao his professional debut in the 2005 Torneo Clausura on March 6, 2005, in a match that culminated in a 3–1 victory for his club over Instituto de Córdoba.

During the 2005 Torneo Apertura, Falcao was a regular in the first team. On October 2nd, he scored twice in a match in Argentina for the first time in his career, finishing as a 3–1 win for River. During Apertura: against Lanca, his brace played a 4–1 home victory, while River defeated San Lorenzo 5–1. This brought his total number for the season to seven from as many games under Reinaldo Merlo's leadership, who gave Falcao the confidence he needed to establish himself in the team.

Falcao sustained ligament damage to his right knee during November's match against San Lorenzo in November and missed the remainder of the Apertura; then, during pre-season preparations in January 2006, he sustained more severe injuries to the same knee, which required surgery and was likely to keep him out for at least six months. He returned to action in September, shortly after the start of the 2006 Torneo Apertura, in which he made 12 appearances mainly as a substitute; he scored just once against Rosario Central, bringing River clear at the top of the table. In the last eight of the 2006 Copa Sudamericana against Atlético Paranaense of Brazil, he made his debut in CONMEBOL competition a few days earlier. He was brought to a halt at halftime and the match ended 2–2; River were eliminated on aggregate as a result of losing the home leg 1–0.

On February 22, 2007, he was sent home for his second outing in the 2007 Copa Libertadores against Colo-Colo. He made no impression on the 2007 Torneo Clausura. River's first two goals were in just one of the eight games he played: in only one of the eight games he played: River defeated Racing Club 4–2 away from home. Falcao won the series 4–3 on aggregate and advanced to the quarter-finals of the 2007 Copa Sudamericana for the first time on September 27, 2007, when River made a dramatic comeback against Botafogo to win the series 4–3. He scored his first goal in a Superclásico the week before, beating Boca Juniors 2–0.

River Plate had initially turned down a $15 million bid from Milan for Falcao in early 2008, as well as bids from clubs including Aston Villa and Fluminense. Falcao scored on February 27th, but was postponed after a 2–1 victory over Club América in the 2008 Copa Libertadores group stage. He was a key player as River rodeted Torneo Clausura Championship, his first domestic title, and his appearances linked him to a variety of clubs, including Man United and Arsenal. However, he stayed with River during their worst campaign in their history, finishing last in the 2008 Torneo Apertura.

River Plate had a rough start in 2009: they were disqualified in the 2009 Copa Libertadores' group stage and won no games at the start of the 2009 Torneo Clausura. Falcao stayed his eye for goal and was instrumental in Nestor Gorosito's plans, having progressed as a striker over the past two years; he finished as the top scorer with 43 goals.

After Porto sold striker Lisandro López to Olympique Lyon for €24 million for 60% of his financial interest, he signed him on July 15, 2009, in a four-year contract worth €3.93 million for 60% of his economic rights. Porto also sold Mario Bolatti to Natland Financier B.V. in exchange for 35% of Falcao's economic rights. After coming close to signing Falcao with a €4.7 million price, a week before, Benfica came close to joining Falcao, but the club's reluctance to pay an additional €700,000 requested by Falcao for awards and delayed salaries pushed the end of talks, prompting Falcao's resignation. He made his debut against Paços de Ferreira on the first matchday and scored a crucial goal to keep the team alive. He went on to score three goals in a number of games, making him one of the few players to score four goals in the Portuguese league's first four matchdays.

In a 1–0 home loss to Chelsea on September 15, he made his UEFA Champions League debut on his debut. In a 2–0 group stage victory over Atlético Madrid two weeks later, he scored his first Champions League goal, a backheel, on September 30. Falcao beat Sporting CP 1–0 home victory on December 12th. Falcao beat Uniao de Leiria 3-2 on January 10, 2010, with a brace, including the winning goal. Falcao won 5–2 Taça de Portugal quarter-finals over rival Sporting CP on February 2nd. Despite the fact that Porto was later barred from the tournament, he scored the winning goal in a UEFA Champions League round of 16 2–1. Falcao scored a brace against Martimo on April 3rd to lead the scoring charts with 20 goals, but he would eventually finish the season as the second-highest league scorer with 25 goals, behind only Benfica's Carrozo who had 26 goals. Falcao then won by two more braces in away victories over Vitoria Setubal and Leiria on April and May respectively, with two other braces in between. He scored in his last game of the season, the 2010 Taça de Portugal Final, where Porto defeated Chaves 2–1. Falcao closed the season with a record-breaking 34 goals in all competitions.

Falcao got off to a promising start in 2010's Portuguese Super Cup 2–0 victory over Benfica, scoring a goal. In a 3–0 victory over Beira-Mar on August 22, 2010, he scored his first two league goals on the second matchday of the season. In a 5–1 victory over Unio de Leiria on October 25, he scored his second double for the club. In a 5–0 victory over the defending champions Benfica, he scored twice, one of which was a backheel goal.

Falcao scored his first hat-trick for Porto in a 3–1 victory over Rapid Wien in UEFA Europa League clash on December 2nd, becoming the top goal scorer with seven goals. Falcao won by 5–1 on Tuesday in the Europa League's quarter-finals against Spartak Moscow, raising his goal tally in the tournament to ten. He scored another goal and contributed to another win with the same scoreline in a 10-3 aggregate thrashing that sent Porto to the tournament's semi-finals.

He scored a double against Sporting CP on Saturday to help them beat them 3-2. In the semi-final against Villarreal, which ended 5-1 for Porto, he added to his position as the top scorer in the Europa League by scoring four goals. Falcao scored the only goal of the game, a header, against Braga, turning the game over to Porto. During the Europa League season, he scored 17 goals in 14 games, beating Jürgen Klinsmann's previous record of 15 goals. Falcao's deal was extended until 2015 with an additional €45 million buy-out clause. Porto paid a €6.58 million commission to extend the deal.

Atlético announced on August 18 that they had signed Falcao from Porto for a €40 million transfer fee, making him the club's most expensive player ever. The Colombian forward and Atlético have also agreed to a four-year contract.

Falcao made his Atlético debut on September 11th against Valencia, losing by a margin of 1–0. In a 4–0 victory over Racing Santander a week later, Falcao scored his first hat trick for Atlético. Falcao scored a goal in Atlético's 4–0 victory over Udinese on November 3rd – the goal meant Falcao had scored 19 goals in his last 18 Europa League games.

Falcao's second hat-trick in La Liga came on January 21, 2012, when he led his team to a 4–0 victory over Real Sociedad at the Anoeta Stadium. Falcao scored twice and assisted a goal in a 3–1 away victory over Lazio on February 16th in the first leg of the Europa League round of 32. Falcao scored one goal and provided Eduardo Salvio's goal in a 3–0 win over Turkish club Beşiktaş, defeating 6–1 on aggregate. Falcao's second half double won his team a 2–1 victory over Athletic Bilbao on March 21 and Atlético's remain in the competition for European positions. Falcao scored a goal in each leg of the Europa League quarter-final draw against Hannover 96, boosting Atlético's count to eight in the competition, with a 4–2 aggregate win and raising his goal total count to eight.

On April 11, 2012, Falcao won his first Madrid Derby against Real Madrid. He missed the first match at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium due to injury and scored Atlético's only goal, defeating Atlético's defeat to a hat trick by Cristiano Ronaldo. In a crucial 1–0 victory for Atlético, he scored his 30th goal of the season in all competitions against Rayo Vallecano. Falcao scored two in the first leg of the 2011–12 Europa League semi-finals against Valencia, making Atlético the first team to win ten consecutive matches in a single Europa League season. In a 3–0 victory at the Arena Naționale in Bucharest on May 9, 2012, Falcao added to his Europa League tally against fellow La Liga team Athletic Bilbao, netting Atlético's opening two goals. Falcao not only became the top goal scorer in a Europa league season with 12 goals, but also became the first player to win two consecutive Europa League titles with two different clubs, but also became the first player in history to win two consecutive Europa League titles with two separate clubs. Falcao scored his only goal late in a match against Villarreal to earn his team a victory in the season's final game of the season. His purchase was described as the "best purchase of the 21st century" following his stellar debut season with the club.

Falcao scored two hat-tricks in the 2012-13 season, first in the league match against 2012 Europa League finalists Athletic Bilbao on August 27, 2012, and second in Chelsea's 4–1 loss of 2012 UEFA Super Cup on September 31, 2012. Falcao became the first player in history to win a hat trick in a UEFA Super Cup final; the original design was two legged until it was converted to a single legged final format in 1998. Simeone characterized Falcao's results as "indescribable" after the match. Falcao scored what turned out to be the game's deciding factor from the penalty spot on September 16th, beating Rayo Vallecano a week later, before going off at halftime to prevent a potential groin injury. Falcao scored a double in a 4–2 away victory over Real Betis, converting a cross for the first and then a penalty, putting him at the top of La Liga's goal scoring charts with seven goals. In October 2012, he was nominated for the 2012 FIFA Ballon d'Or and finished in 5th place. He appeared in the 2012 FIFPro World XI.

Falcao scored a header early in the game against Málaga and then got a defender from Málaga to score his own goal, giving Atlético the 2–1 win in the final minute. He scored again against Real Sociedad three weeks later, this time with a rare free-kick that was a last-minute winner in the 1–0 triumph. That was Falcao's first commercial free kick goal. Falcao scored a penalty and assisted with another goal in a 4–0 win; the strike was his 50th goal for Atlético. Falcao scored five goals in a match over Deportivo de La Corua on December 9, making him the first player in La Liga since Fernando Morientes scored five goals in a match.

Falcao missed the first La Liga match of 2013 due to muscle exhaustion, but he returned in their second match against Real Zaragoza on January 13th, where he scored a penalty in a 2-0 victory. Falcao scored a header in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals against Betis on January 18th. He suffered a muscle injury in a game on January 20th, forcing him to miss three games, including the second leg of the Copa del Rey quarter final against Betis and the first leg of the semi finals against Sevilla. Falcao scored against Sevilla in a 2–2 draw, assisting Atlético in the finals with a 4–3 aggregate score line. Falcao defeated Granada 5–0, with a double on April 14th. Falcao's 200th career goal was achieved with the second goal (counting both club and country). Falcao's only goal in a 0–1 away victory over Sevilla at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium a week later.

Falcao scored Atlético's only goal in the Madrid Derby the following week, albeit in a 1–2 home loss. Falcao's 50th league appearance with the team in only 64 appearances. In a 3–1 away victory over Celta de Vigo on May 8, Falcao scored the final goal for Atlético. For the first time in four years, Atlético Madrid was guaranteed to play in the Champions League next season. In a 1–2 loss against Barcelona four days later, he scored his last league goal of the season. Falcao scored 28 goals in the season's top scorers chart, only behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Atlético was trailing 1–0 when Falcao gave Diego Costa a timely assist to tie the game in the 2013 Copa del Rey Final. For the first time in 14 years, the Argentines defeated Real Madrid 2–1 and defeat their arch-rivals Real Madrid. With Atlético, Falcao captured their first and only domestic cup championship.

Atlético Madrid general manager Miguel ngel Gil Marn said in May that if Falcao decides to leave, the team will not stay in the way, and that the club and the club will assist him in his decision. Despite being linked to several clubs, including Atlético Madrid's city rivals Real Madrid and Chelsea, Chelsea's English side Chelsea, he finally signed for newly promoted Ligue 1 side Monaco on May 31, 2013. Falcao's net annual salary at Monaco has been reported to be around €14 million, as he completed a five-year deal for an undisclosed fee. Despite the Colombian's being positive about his Monaco future, Falcao said in a press interview that he enjoyed his time with the team and considered it to be "the best time of his career" during his time. Falcao continued to say that part of his decision for Monaco was to follow the footsteps of his idol, Thierry Henry. Vadim Vasilyev, Monaco's sporting director, said the club hoped to build a Falcao team and pose a direct threat to PSG-backed PSG in Ligue 1. The Colombian forward said he wanted to bring Monaco "to the top of European Football" and that he wanted to bring them "to the top of European football."

Falcao's transfer to Monaco was a surprise, considering that he was widely regarded as the best and most coveted after striker in the world. Sportskeeda, a major factor in Falcao's transfer to Monaco in 2009, Falcao's third-party ownership: Doyen Sports, a sports company that started with a 55% interest in him from River Plate to Porto, became a Doyen Sports company in 2009, which sold a 55% interest in him. Doyen Sports wanted him to be more profitable, but he was unable to invest enough in Falcao to begin. Doyen Sports desperately needed to cash Falcao out for a profit, but Monaco was the only club with the means for Falcao's transfer.

Falcao made his Ligue 1 debut in the first match against Bordeaux on August 10th, where he scored in the 88th minute, securing a 2–0 win. In a 4–1 victory over Montpellier, he scored the first goal, a penalty, eight days later. Falcao won by 2–1 over Marseille in a match against Marseille on September 1st. Falcao won by a 1–0 victory after scoring early penalty kicks against Lorient. In a tense away match against French champions Paris Saint-Germain, Falcao was able to equalize with a diving header; the match will conclude 1–1 and keep Monaco on the top of the league table. Falcao beat Bastia 3–0, a few days later. This also brought his goal total figure to seven, making him the top scorer in Ligue 1.

In a 2–1 victory over Lyon, Falcao brought an end to his four-game goal drought, with a superb chip. Falcao's continued to recover from a thigh injury prior to his last game for the club, and he was forced to miss the next four league matches on November 27. Falcao made his return after being brought up to within the second half against Valenciennes, where he missed a penalty kick as Monaco lost 2–1.

Falcao was reportedly heavily linked with Chelsea during the winter transfer window, with Chelsea even committing to a "£80 million contract" with Monaco, but Vasilvey denied these rumors and said Falcao "isn't going anywhere" and is "very happy at the club."

Falcao's 2014 debut in a match against Vannes in which he both assisted and scored a goal. Falcao's second goal of the month came in the Coupe de France once more, where he scored a goal before being forced to leave due to a back injury sustained in the first half of a 0–3 victory over Monts d'Or Azergues Foot.

Falcao suffered a serious ACL injury in his left knee that would need 6 months to recover, and the 2014 FIFA World Cup will also be postponed, effectively ending his 2013-2014 season entirely. Falcao continued to express that he and his doctors were optimistic about a prompt recovery. Falcao continued to say that he wanted to participate in the game himself, but that Monaco head coach Claudio Ranieri did not force him to.

Falcao's full recovery was announced in mid-July, where he will play regularly in pre-season games for Monaco after being sidelined for six months. In the 72nd minute, Monaco defeated Spanish side Valencia 2–2 and returned on the field as a replacement for Dimitar Berbatov. In the 36th minute, the first hour of the match against Arsenal was played and scored his only goal of the game.

Falcao came out for Lucas Ocampos after 59 minutes and scored a penalty, but Monaco lost 21-0 at home to Lorient on August 10, his first competitive match since his injury. He began playing for Nantes two weeks later and scored the first goal of the game, while Layvin Kurzawa's cross is the team's first point of the season. Falcao was not included in Monaco's next match against Lille amid rumors of a transfer and watched from the stands next to club owner Vadim Vasilyev. Falcao's father later claimed that Falcao left Monaco because the team changed the "original idea" and decided to sell all of the players they had bought, mainly referring to James Rodriguez's departure to Real Madrid.

Manchester United opted to sign Falcao on a season-long loan for £6 million subject to a medical exam, with the ability to opt for a permanent loan of £43.5 million (€55 million) at the end of the season. During the time he was at the club, he earned £265,000 per week. Manchester City had previously dropped out due to team size, and he had previously been linked to Juventus, Arsenal, and Real Madrid. United reported the transfer in the early hours of September 2nd. Despite signing a short-term loan, Falcao said he would continue to play for many years and become a legend at the club. Cristiano Ronaldo praised Falcao and United for the transfer, saying that United did "very well" and that he was a "good buy."

Falcao made his Old Trafford debut on September 14th, when the team defeated Queens Park Rangers in the final 23 minutes, instead of Juan Mata, for the first time this season. The club's supporters erupted his applause as they continued to cheer his name both as warming up and on the field. He scored his first goal for United, the winner in a 2–1 home win over Everton on October 5th. Falcao was left on the bench against Southampton due to 19-year-old James Wilson, and Van Gaal later said Falcao was "only fit enough to play 20 minutes." Falcao scored a goal in the second half of a 1–1 draw with Aston Villa on December 20th. Wayne Rooney was aided by him six days later against Newcastle United, and United went on to win the match 3-1. Falcao tied Stoke City 1–1 away draw on New Year's Day, 2015.

Van Gaal said he did not regret making the call after being dropped out of the squad against Southampton on January 11 for 19-year-old James Wilson's second attempt, and furthermore, his future at United was put into question after his agent, Jorge Mendes, said a few days later that his client "will not be at Old Trafford at the start of next season." Martin Keown, a BBC commentator, described his appearance against League One side Preston North End as "another night of nothing from Falcao" and wondered if he was "fit enough" after failing to fire any shots, either on or off target, and only having 26 touches against League One side Preston North End on Friday. Falcao played for their under-21 team in a 1–1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur on 10 March, a day after being an unused substitute as United lost the FA Cup at home by Arsenal. Former footballers Dietmar Hamann and Willem van Hanegem, who had called Van Gaal's decision "disrespectful and disgraceful," despite Van Gaal's remarks that he did not "intend to humiliate" Falcao. "He was closer to the devil than anything," Diego Maradona chastised Van Gaal for his treatment of Falcao. He had been deemed one of the worst signings of the season at the end of the season. United's decision not to exercise their buy option on Falcao on May 24th, 2015, brought an end to a streak at the club in which he scored 4 goals in 29 appearances.

Chelsea signed Falcao on a season-long loan contract worth £4 million, with the option of a permanent transfer at the end of the season for £38 million (€50 million) per week, as well as a salary of £170,000 per week. Juan Cuadrado, his Colombia colleague Juan Cuadrado, and his Atlético Madrid teammates Diego Costa and Thibaut Courtois were reunited for a short time. Mario Paali, a midfielder, went to Monaco on loan in exchange for Falcao's transfer to Chelsea.

Falcao made his professional debut at Wembley Stadium in 2015, replacing Loc Rémy at halftime as Chelsea lost 1–0 to rivals Arsenal. In a 2–2 home draw with Swansea City, his first appearance in his league came six days later, with Willian playing in the final six minutes in place of Willian. Falcao scored his first and only Chelsea goal in a humiliating 1–2 home loss to Crystal Palace on August 29th, as a replacement for Willian. Falcao sustained a muscular injury in preparation on November 3rd and was ruled out for a "few weeks" after being ruled out. He rejended his thigh on December 30th, and new boss Guus Hiddink predicted he'd be back in ten days, but not to play." However, Hiddink said Falcao's latest injury case was "very serious" on January 15th. Alexandre Pato, the team's new addition, was cut from the team's Champions League squad the following month.

Coach Leonardo Jardim made Falcao's return to Monaco in July 2016 as his team captain. Falcao scored for Monaco on July 27th, his first appearance for the club in two seasons; a Champions League qualifier against Fenerbahçe. In a 3–0 victory over Stade Rennais at the Stade Louis II on September 17th, he scored his first Ligue 1 goal of the season. Monaco defeated Nancy 6–0 in a league match on Friday, with two first-half goals against CSKA Moscow in a Champions League group stage match three days earlier. He scored twice in the first half.

In a 5–0 victory, he scored two goals against Bastia on December 3rd. Falcao scored his first Ligue 1 goal in 15 competitive games and ten goals in Ligue 1 for just 579 minutes on December 10th, a week later.

Falcao defeated Nice 3–0 on February 4th, 2017 for a brace. He scored another brace a week later, this time in a 5–0 win over Metz. Falcao scored two goals on February 21: the first on the right with a diving header from Fabinho's cross to the second with a chip over Willy Caballero, but Falcao's away loss to Manchester City in the Champions League round of 16 first leg matches on February 21. Despite him missing out on the second leg at home due to injury, Monaco eventually defeated the match 3–1 (6–6) on aggregate, qualifying to the quarter-finals on away goals rule. He scored Monaco's second in their 3–1 victory over Borussia Dortmund on April 19th, the team's first appearance since 2004. In a 4–0 win over Lille on May 14, Falcao scored a brace on the final league matchday. Falcao's season came to an end with the league's top scorer and 30 goals in 43 appearances. Falcao's contract was extended by three years starting on June 1st. the club will keep him at the club until 2020.

Falcao opened the season with a goal in Monaco's first league match, Monaco's second in a 3–2 victory over Toulouse. In a 4-1 victory over Dijon two weeks later, he scored his first hat-trick of the Ligue 1 season. He scored his first goal against Metz and scored a double against Marseille a week later, taking his total score to seven goals in four matches to seven. Falcao's form led him to his nomination for the 2017 Ballon d'Or. Falcao responded with two more braces against Strasbourg and Lille respectively after losing a match 4-0 at OGC Nice. Falcao refused to celebrate in favor of his former club, Monaco, after scoring against former FC Porto in a Champions League match in December 2017. Porto supporters applauded his gesture. He made his mark in Coupe de la Ligue versus Caen, which resulted in a 2-0 victory. He scored a double against Montpellier on January 31 to help Monaco advance to the final, where Monaco lost 3-0 to PSG. Falcao's top scorer with 18 league goals in 26 matches ended the season.

Falcao started the season on a high note during Monaco's first game of the season, assisting Monaco in their second match of the season and scoring their third in a 3–1 away victory over Nantes. In a 1–0 win over Caen on Sunday, he scored the decisive goal, snapping Monaco's winless streak of 13 games. Falcao played against his old club Atletico Madrid for the first time since his release in 2013 as part of a Champions League group stage match. Monaco eventually lost 2–0, but Falcao missed a penalty. Falcao defeated Amiens 2-0 on December 4, 2018 on December 4, 2018. Falcao's total in the Coupe de France began on January 22nd, scoring in a 1–3 loss to Metz. Monaco was eliminated from the competition despite Falcao's goal. Despite finishing in 17th place as Monaco's top scorer with 16 goals in all competitions, this was certainly a season to forget for the club, as they barely escaped relegation and ended in 17th place.

Falcao joined Galatasaray on a free transfer on September 2nd, as his Monaco deal came to an end, earning him a three-year deal and a salary of €5 million per year. On the previous day at the Istanbul Atatürk Airport, over 25,000 supporters were greeted him. In a 1–0 home victory over Kasimpasa on September 13, he scored a goal on his debut in a 1–0 home win. He scored a goal against Tuzlaspor on December 17th to help his team advance to the next round and reverse a 0–2 loss. In a 5–0 victory over Antalyaspor at home on December 28th, he scored his first brace with the club. He scored his first brace of the year against Gençlerbirli in a 3–0 victory at the Türk Telekom Stadium on March 1, 2020.

Falcao played 22 games, scored 11 goals, and received one assist in all competitions during the season.

Falcao opened the season by scoring twice and assisting in his club's league debut over Gaziantep on September 12, 2020. Falcao collided with Kerem Aktürkolu head-on during a training session and was admitted to the hospital on April 11, 2021. He was diagnosed with a facial bone fracture and underwent surgery. He started training with a mask after 2 weeks.

He played 17 games, 9 goals, and 2 assists during the season. Due to injuries, Falcao's season was off the track for 24 games.

Falcao and the club had mutually agreed to stop the player's relationship in a official statement released by Galatasaray on September 1saray.

The Colombian striker's time at Galatasaray was marred by injuries. He played 49 games during his time at the Turkish club (24 in 2019–20, 25 in 2020–21), and 43 out of 92 possible games.

Falcao signed for La Liga team Rayo Vallecano on September 4, 2021. He was unveiled at the Estadio de Vallecas on September 16, 2021, in front of 2,000 spectators. Falcao selected the number 3, an unpopular number that is not normally associated with attacking players. He wore the jersey to honor his late father, Radamel Garca, who played as a defender and mainly played with that number. Fran Garca's number three jersey was being worn by Raymond Garca at Rayo Vallecano before his arrival, but Garca refused and changed to the number 33 to make it available to him. In a 3–0 win, he made his Rayo debut against Getafe CF in a home fixture on September 18, 2021, scoring one goal. Falcao scored his only goal in a thrilling league victory over Barcelona on October 27. Ronald Koeman, the Barcelona manager, was fired due to the incident.

International career

Falcao competed for Colombia's national under-17 team in the 2001 South American U-17 Championship, where he played four games and scored one goal against Bolivia. He was also called up to the U-17 World Championship in 2003, but he had to cancel due to a back injury before the tournament and had to cancel.

In 2003, Falcao's first call-up to the under-20 team was for the friendly tournament Copa Simón Bolvar. He scored his first goal at the tournament against Turkey in the 2004 Toulon Tournament. In the 1–1 draw against Argentina in 2005, he was champion with his team and won five matches and scored once. Falcao played three matches and scored twice against Canada and Syria in the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship.

Falcao scored his first goal against Uruguay on February 7, 2007, against Montenegro in the Kirin Cup's first year on February 7th. Falcao's first competitive match against Brazil was played on October 13th. The match ended in a 0–0 draw.

Falcao was unable to participate in the 2010 World Cup qualifiers against Chile, Paraguay, and Brazil due to an injury he sustained with River Plate. In a friendly against Nigeria on 19 November 2008, he returned to action and scored his first goal of the game. He scored the only goal of the 2010 World Cup qualifying match against Colombia over Ecuador's victory over Peru on June 10, 2009, at Estadio Girardot. Falcao played ten games and scored once during the qualifying campaign, total.

Falcao's first major international tournament, after missing the 2007 edition due to injuries, was the 2011 Copa América in Argentina. He scored both goals in a 2–0 victory over Costa Rica and the hosts, the second a penalty, and led Colombia to top their league after failing to score against Costa Rica and the hosts. Falcao's penalty kick against Peru, which would have won the game if it had not been ruled out, was missed, and the opponents were able to score two goals in extra time to discredit his team.

Falcao's first match in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers began with a goal against Bolivia in the last minute of added time, winning Colombia by a 1-0 victory over the Estadio Siles on October 11, 2011. Falcao scored a goal against Mexico in a friendly that ended 2–0 under new control of the national team led by Argentine José Pékerman. Falcao scored a header in the second minute to help Colombia defeat Uruguay 4–0. Juan Camilo Zaga helped Colombia's fourth goal in the final minutes of stoppage time in the same match. Falcao scored two days later and helped Teófilo Gutiérrez defeat Chile 3-1, helping Colombia win by a whopping 0–1 draw in Santiago. Los Cafeteros came in second place, one point behind Argentina. Falcao defeated Paraguay 21-0 on October 12, 2012, on both goals.

During a 5–0 qualifier victory over Bolivia in March, he scored his fourth goal in Falcao's first game of 2013. In the 13th minute, when Colombia defeated 2–0, Falcao scored a penalty against Peru. Falcao scored two penalties to tie 3–3 after trailing 3–0 on October 11, 2013. Colombia qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1998, thanks to this achievement. Falcao's top scorer with nine goals in thirteen appearances ended their 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign as Colombia's top scorer.

Falcao will likely miss the World Cup after suffering a serious ACL injury on January 23, 2014. Falcao, on the other hand, expressed his empatia, claiming that a speedy recovery was possible. Falcao received a lot of attention on social media for its quick recovery; 'Fuerza Tigre', a Spanish social media campaign that means'stay strong Tiger,' grew in success. Pau Gasol, a professional basketball player in the NBA, was one of those who wished him a speedy recovery. Juan Manuel Santos, the former president of Colombia, spent time in Falcao in the hospital where he was staying in Porto.

Falcao was included in José Pékerman's 30-man squad list on February 5 (later to be limited to 23 in May) for the World Cup. Falcao's father, Radamel Garcao, told RCN Radio that Falcao was "60 percent fit but not fully match-fit." Falcao's surgeon said in March that there was "no reason" why Falcao could not participate in the World Cup. Falcao arrived in Argentina on May 25th to train with the rest of the team. However, he eventually decided not to join the squad because he didn't feel right being in a position that wasn't in good shape, and he was left out of the final 23-man-squad on June 2.

Falcao's first international goal in 11 months against El Salvador on October 10, 2014, after starting for the first time since his ACL injury. It was his first ever headed goal for his country, but it was also responsible for the other two goals in a 3–0 triumph. In a 2–0 friendly victory over Belgium in November 2013, he had his last goal before the injury. Falcao scored a double and scored a goal in a 6–0 victory in a friendly against Bahrain on March 26, 2015. In a 3–1 victory over Kuwait, he scored his 24th goal for the country and fell just one goal shy of equalling Arnoldo Iguarán's record with a penalty.

He tied for the all-time top scorer in Colombia's 1–0 friendly win over Costa Rica on June 6th, marking his 25th goal in a 1–0 friendly victory against Costa Rica in Buenos Aires ahead of the 2015 Copa América. Despite a stellar year, he captained the team at the tournament but struggled to score or get any assists in three group matches. He did not start the quarter-final against Argentina on June 26th and came on as a replacement for Jackson Martnez in the 74th minute, and Colombia lost 5–4 on penalties.

Falcao was recalled to the Colombia squad for the first time in 388 days on November 10 and November 15 for Colombia's upcoming two FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Chile on November 10 and 10. He last played for Colombia in a 3–0 loss to Uruguay in a 2018 World Cup qualifier in Montevideo, and had not been included in Colombia's squad for the Copa América Centenaryo.

Falcao scored his 26th goal in a 2–2 draw with Spain on June 7, 2017, breaking with Spain for the first time. Colombia announced their qualification for the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers on October 10th, 2017, with Rodriguez scoring twice in the team's four remaining World Cup qualifying matches. The last qualifying match against Peru ended in a 1-1 draw, putting Colombia and Peru into a play-off with New Zealand at Chile's expense after losing to Brazil. Footage of Falcao talking to the Peruvian players in what was described as a "pact" for both teams to see both teams through. Renato Tapia, a Peruvian midfielder, admitted to the rumors by claiming that the Colombians informed them of the draw because they knew the results of the other games. Falcao confessed to knowing what was going on in other games but denied making any arrangements.

Falcao made his World Cup debut against Japan on June 19th in Colombia's first group game of the 2018 World Cup after missing the previous World Cup due to injury, losing 12-02. In Colombia's 3–0 victory over Poland on June 24, Falcao scored his first World Cup goal. Falcao's goal sparked a standing ovation, and Colombia's boss, José Pékerman, said after the game: "I think (Falcao's goal) is one of the greatest joys we've received tonight." He is a symbol of the national team and a symbol of Colombian football. Colombia lost 4–3 after a 1–1 draw with England in the round of 16, although Falcao converted his penalty in the shoot-out.

Falcao was selected in the 23-man final Colombia squad for the 2019 Copa América on May 30. Overall, he had a poor tournament, with no goals or assists to his name, and he didn't play the full 90 minutes in any of his matches. In the quarter-finals, Colombia defeated Chile 5–4 on penalties.

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