On the day he celebrates his 40th birthday, Radamel Falcao gave an extensive interview to the newspaper L'Équipe, where he shared some details about his successful career, which included a stint filled with good memories and many titles at FC Porto. The relentless scorer, who also shone at Atlético de Madrid and Monaco, and had discreet spells at Manchester United and Chelsea, is now in the final moments of his career at Millonarios FC in Bogotá, having never played in his home country as a senior. "Wearing this jersey was a childhood dream," confessed the forward, who turns 40 this Tuesday. "I was a foreigner almost my whole life," lamented the Colombian international, who has 104 caps and 36 goals. His return to his roots came after two more discreet stints at Galatasaray (2019-2021) and Rayo Vallecano (2021-2024). However, his adventure at Millonarios had two phases: in June 2025, El Tigre left the club with a record of 11 goals in 29 matches, without winning titles, but fulfilled with the "romantic" experience. However, after suggesting in December, during the World Cup draw in Washington, that he was looking for one last challenge, the forward ended up signing again for Millonarios in January. Born in Santa Marta on the Caribbean coast, Falcao recalls a childhood "destabilized" by constant moves, following his father's career, Radamel Enrique Garcia King, a defender who played for clubs like Santa Fe and Deportivo Independiente Medellin. "Every year there was a new beginning," he remembers. "I couldn't get attached to anything or anyone. That affected me. But it also allowed me to develop a great ability to adapt from an early age," he acknowledges. Between the ages of 4 and 9, he lived in Venezuela, where football and baseball were refuges from loneliness, not being able to "make real friends." From a very young age, his talent was evident. Footage from 1997, recovered by Colombian television after his hat-trick against Chelsea in the UEFA Super Cup, shows an 11-year-old Falcao confessing his dream of "being famous" abroad. At that time, he was already seen as "the promise of Colombia" and the successor to Carlos Valderrama, with one of his coaches, Argentine Silvano Espindola, comparing him to Diego Maradona. "I stood out, so it was inevitable," the player now relativizes. "That didn't pressure me. On the contrary, I liked it." Proof of this were the precocious records he set at Fair-Play Lanceros, a second division team: he made his professional debut at 13 years and 199 days and scored his first goal at 14. But before becoming one of the most feared forwards on the planet, the Colombian's journey was marked by difficulties. Growing up abroad was painful. "I was isolated, away from my family, without friends," the player recalls, adding that "injuries didn't help at all." A pubalgia in 2002, a broken ankle in 2003, and a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in 2006 almost dictated the premature end of his dream. "In the first three years, before I managed to impose myself, I hardly played. I was unhappy," he laments, admitting that he considered returning to Colombia. Family support was crucial. "Fortunately, my parents encouraged me not to give up. Those trials forged my character and taught me discipline, struggle, and resilience," he states. His upbringing was profoundly influenced by his mother, an economist who taught him faith, and by his father, a "role model" whom he thinks about "every day" since his passing in 2019. "He taught me to play every match with heart and soul. Others might run faster than me, but I knew how to read and feel the game, so I often had a head start over defenders." This mentality, combined with a predatory instinct, transformed him into a legend. Not being the fastest or the strongest (1.77 m; 72 kg), El Tigre—nickname he earned in Argentina—compensated with superior game reading and an obsession for the goal. "It's instinct, but also a lot of work. That's why I was strong in the air," he explains. His arrival in Europe in 2009 to represent FC Porto marked the beginning of his global affirmation. At the Dragão, his finishing ability exploded. "At River Plate, you had to suffer to score. Sometimes, I was too exhausted to convert my chances. At FC Porto, it was different. Everything was easier. The team played for me. I was fresh in front of goal and scored," the forward compares. The Colombian's impact was immediate and devastating. With the Dragons, he won a Europa League in 2011, setting a record of 17 goals in a single edition of the tournament. His scoring prowess continued at Atlético de Madrid, where he won another Europa League (2012), a UEFA Super Cup (2012), and a Copa del Rey (2013). His talent earned recognition from Pep Guardiola, then coach of Barcelona, who described him as "the best striker in the world." His individual peak came in 2012 at Atlético Madrid when he finished fifth in the Ballon d'Or voting, behind only Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Andrés Iniesta, and Xavi. Moreover, never winning the Ballon d'Or could have been one of Falcao's disappointments. However, he is aware of the reasons that prevented him. "I dreamed of winning the Ballon d'Or, of course, but I belong to the generation of Cristiano and Messi," he recalls, adding with a smile: "In my two years in Spain, I scored 24 and 28 goals in the league. Without them, I would have been Pichichi." "I think I was never as strong as in my second season at Atlético Madrid," he added. During that period, his talent was recognized with inclusion in the FIFA Team of the Year in 2012, a team dominated by players from Barcelona and Real Madrid. The Colombian also highlights the context of his arrival at the Spanish club. "Being behind players like them has a lot of value. Especially because I was playing at Atlético, which was rebuilding a team after the departures of Kun (Sergio Agüero) and (Diego) Forlán. The season was difficult until Diego Simeone arrived." In the summer of 2013, at the peak of his career at 27 years old, Falcao surprised the football world by signing for Monaco for 60 million euros, a record amount in France at the time. The choice was unexpected, given the interest from clubs like Real Madrid and the fact that Monaco had just been promoted to Ligue 1. "I was seduced by the ambitious project of Dmitri Rybolovlev, who wanted to make me the emblem of the club," the player justifies. "I liked the idea of being able to take this team to the top." Alongside him joined other big names like James Rodríguez, Ricardo Carvalho, and João Moutinho. However, his first spell in the principality was marked by injury. On January 22, 2014, he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, an injury that kept him out of the World Cup in Brazil. "It devastated me so much that I felt the need to live an experience elsewhere to restart mentally," he confesses. A difficult phase followed, with two failed loans to Manchester United and Chelsea, under the management of Louis van Gaal and José Mourinho, respectively. In England, physical problems persisted, and his performance plummeted, scoring only five goals in 41 matches. "I don't know if it was a mistake to go to Manchester, but maybe it wasn't the right time," he analyzes, recalling the transitional phase the club was going through after Alex Ferguson's departure. Falcao's career, described as a "succession of ups and downs," had one of its most memorable chapters upon returning to Monaco. After the negative experience in England, the Colombian returned to the club "with a lot of desire" and led a team filled with young talents like Kylian Mbappé and Bernardo Silva. Under the command of Leonardo Jardim, El Tigre roared again, scoring 21 goals in 29 matches, and was a key player in winning the Ligue 1 title against PSG, in a season where the Monaco team played football that delighted Europe. Radamel Falcao recalls his time at Monaco as one of the most significant phases of his career, where he experienced "the worst and the best." The Colombian forward considers the French championship title, won with the Monaco team, as "perhaps the greatest" of his career. In that same memorable season, Monaco reached the semifinals of the Champions League, eliminating Manchester City in the round of 16 after an epic tie (3-1 at home, after losing 5-3 in England). Falcao believes that "the defeat in England was a turning point" for the team. In the match in Manchester, the Colombian scored two goals, including one that he describes as being in the "top 3 of my most beautiful goals," a brilliant chip executed ten minutes after he missed a penalty. The "only regret" of that European campaign was the elimination in the semifinals against Juventus (0-2; 1-2), attributed to a "lack of experience." The former Monaco captain describes that team as unique. "I don't think I have ever played in a team with so much talent and chemistry as that one. It was fantastic from start to finish. A personal rebirth. I felt important, in a guiding role for the younger players," he stated. His influence was such that Kylian Mbappé, in 2021, described him as "a teacher." After that successful season, several stars, including the Frenchman, left the club. Falcao, however, remained for two more seasons, helping Monaco to be runners-up in 2018 and securing Ligue 1 permanence in 2019, finishing in 17th place. In a sort of career reflection, Falcao points to the best he leaves as a legacy beyond goals and titles. "I realized that I inspired people with my performances, but also because I found the strength to rise again after every hard blow. I have been a fighter my whole life. That is my greatest honor."
FC Porto On the remains central to this story.
FC Porto On the remains central to this story.
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