Radamel Falcao facts for kids

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal family name is García and the second or maternal family name is Zárate.

Quick facts for kids
Radamel Falcao
Personal information
Falcao in 2019
Date of birth	(1986-02-10) 10 February 1986 (age 39)
Place of birth	Santa Marta, Colombia
Height	1.77 m
Playing position	Striker
Youth career
1997–1999	Lanceros Boyacá
2001–2004	River Plate
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
1999–2001	Lanceros Boyacá	11	(2)
2004–2009	River Plate	90	(34)
2009–2011	Porto	51	(41)
2011–2013	Atlético Madrid	68	(52)
2013–2019	Monaco	108	(65)
2014–2015	→ Manchester United (loan)	26	(4)
2015–2016	→ Chelsea (loan)	10	(1)
2019–2021	Galatasaray	34	(19)
2021–2024	Rayo Vallecano	80	(12)
2024	Millonarios	16	(5)
National team^‡
2001–2005	Colombia U17	3	(1)
2005–2007	Colombia U20	12	(3)
2007–2023	Colombia	105	(36)
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 04:53, 07 January 2025 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 28 March 2023

Radamel Falcao García Zárate (born 10 February 1986) is a famous Colombian footballer. He plays as a striker, which means he's a player who scores goals. People often call him "El Tigre" (The Tiger). Many consider him one of the best strikers of his time. He is also one of the greatest Colombian and South American footballers ever.

Falcao holds the record for the most goals scored by a Colombian player. He has scored over 350 goals in his career for both his clubs and his country. He started his journey in Argentina with River Plate. Later, he moved to Europe and played for big teams like Porto, Atlético Madrid, and Monaco. He also had loan spells with Premier League clubs Manchester United and Chelsea.

Falcao has won many important trophies. These include the UEFA Europa League twice and league titles in Portugal and France. He also won the Copa del Rey in Spain. For his country, Colombia, he has played over 100 games. He is their all-time top scorer. Falcao made his World Cup debut in 2018.

Club Football Journey

Starting in Colombia: Lanceros Boyacá

Falcao began his professional football career very young. He played his first game for Lanceros Boyacá in Colombia. This was on 28 August 1999. He was only 13 years old at the time. This made him the youngest player to debut in Colombian professional football. In his two years with the club, he played 11 matches and scored one goal.

Playing in Argentina: River Plate

In 2001, Falcao moved to Argentina. He joined River Plate for a fee of $500,000. He started in their youth team. His first professional game for River Plate was on 6 March 2005. He quickly became a regular player.

In 2005, he scored two goals in a single match for the first time. This happened against Independiente. He did this two more times that season. In November 2005, he injured his knee. This kept him out of the game for several months. He returned in September 2006.

Falcao scored his first professional hat-trick (three goals in one game) on 27 September 2007. This was in a thrilling comeback win against Botafogo. He also scored his first goal in the famous Superclásico derby against Boca Juniors. In 2008, River Plate won the Clausura championship. This was Falcao's first major title. He scored 35 goals in his last two years with River Plate.

Moving to Portugal: FC Porto

Falcao playing for FC Porto in 2010

On 15 July 2009, Falcao joined Porto in Portugal. He signed a four-year contract. He quickly made an impact, scoring in his first game. He also scored his first UEFA Champions League goal against Atlético Madrid. In his first season, he scored 34 goals in all competitions.

The 2010–11 season was amazing for Falcao. He scored a goal in the Portuguese Super Cup final. He scored his first hat-trick for Porto in the UEFA Europa League. He scored another hat-trick in the Europa League quarter-finals. In the semi-final, he scored four goals against Villarreal. In the Europa League final, he scored the only goal with a header. Porto won the title. He set a new record with 17 goals in one Europa League season. This broke Jürgen Klinsmann's old record.

Success in Spain: Atlético Madrid

Falcao celebrates winning the 2011–12 UEFA Europa League with Atlético Madrid

In August 2011, Falcao moved to Spanish club Atlético Madrid. The transfer fee was €40 million, making him the most expensive player in the club's history. He signed a four-year contract. He scored his first hat-trick for Atlético in a 4–0 win against Racing Santander.

In the Europa League final on 9 May 2012, Falcao scored two goals. Atlético Madrid won 3–0 against Athletic Bilbao. He became the first player to win two Europa League titles in a row with different teams. Many called his signing the "best purchase of the 21st century."

In the 2012–13 season, Falcao continued to shine. He scored two hat-tricks early on. One was against Athletic Bilbao, and the other was in the 2012 UEFA Super Cup against Chelsea. He became the first player to score a hat-trick in a UEFA Super Cup final. On 9 December, he scored an amazing five goals in a 6–0 win against Deportivo de La Coruña. This was a rare feat in La Liga.

He finished the season with 28 league goals. He was the third-highest scorer, behind only Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. In the 2013 Copa del Rey Final, Falcao helped Atlético win against their rivals Real Madrid. This was his first and only domestic cup title with Atlético.

Time in France: Monaco

In May 2013, Falcao joined Ligue 1 club Monaco. The transfer fee was reportedly around €60 million. This move surprised many, as he was considered one of the best strikers in the world. A big reason for his move was that a company called Doyen Sports owned part of his player rights. They wanted to make a profit from him.

Falcao warming up for Monaco in 2014

Falcao scored in his first Ligue 1 game for Monaco. He continued to score regularly. However, in January 2014, he suffered a serious ACL injury in his left knee. This meant he would be out for six months and miss the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Loan Spells in England

Falcao playing for Manchester United in 2015

In September 2014, Falcao joined Manchester United on loan. He scored his first goal for United in October. However, injuries and fitness issues limited his playing time. He scored 4 goals in 29 games for the club.

Falcao playing for Chelsea in 2015

In July 2015, he moved to Chelsea on another loan. He scored his only goal for Chelsea in August. Unfortunately, he suffered more muscular injuries. He was ruled out for much of the season.

Return to Monaco and League Title

Falcao playing for Monaco in 2016

Falcao returned to Monaco in July 2016. He was made team captain. He quickly found his best form again. He scored two goals in a UEFA Champions League match against CSKA Moscow. In December, he scored his first Ligue 1 hat-trick.

He finished the 2016–17 season as Monaco's top scorer. He scored 30 goals in 43 games. He also captained Monaco to their first Ligue 1 title in 17 years. They also reached the Champions League semi-finals. He extended his contract with Monaco until 2020.

In the 2017–18 season, Falcao continued his great form. He scored a hat-trick against Dijon. He finished the season with 18 league goals. In the 2018–19 season, he scored 16 goals. However, Monaco struggled and barely avoided relegation.

Moving to Turkey: Galatasaray

On 2 September 2019, Falcao joined Süper Lig club Galatasaray in Turkey. He was welcomed by over 25,000 fans at the airport. He scored a goal in his first game. He scored 11 goals in 22 matches in his first season.

In the 2020–21 season, he scored twice in his club's first league win. However, his time at Galatasaray was affected by many injuries. He missed 24 games in one season and 25 in another. In September 2021, his contract with Galatasaray ended.

Back to Spain: Rayo Vallecano

On 4 September 2021, Falcao signed for La Liga club Rayo Vallecano. He chose the jersey number 3. This was to honor his late father, Radamel García, who was a defender and wore that number. He scored in his debut game for Rayo. He also scored the only goal in a famous win against Barcelona.

Return to Colombia: Millonarios

On 20 June 2024, Falcao returned to Colombia. He joined Millonarios. He played 16 league matches and scored five goals. He suffered two injuries during his time there. His contract was not renewed for 2025 due to tax issues.

Playing for Colombia

Youth and Early Senior Career

Falcao played for Colombia's national youth teams. He was part of the U-17 team and the U-20 team. He won the 2005 South American U-20 Championship with the U-20 team.

He made his senior national team debut on 7 February 2007. He scored his first goal for Colombia on 3 June against Montenegro. He scored important goals in the 2010 World Cup qualifiers.

Copa América and World Cup Qualifiers

Falcao played in the 2011 Copa América. He scored two goals against Bolivia. In the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, he scored a last-minute goal against Bolivia. He scored nine goals in the qualifiers, making him Colombia's top scorer. This helped Colombia qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1998.

Missing the World Cup and Becoming Top Scorer

Mural of Falcao in Cali

Sadly, Falcao missed the 2014 FIFA World Cup due to his ACL injury. Fans and other athletes showed him a lot of support. He worked hard to recover.

On 6 June 2015, he tied the record as Colombia's all-time top scorer. He scored his 25th goal in a friendly against Costa Rica. On 7 June 2017, he officially became Colombia's all-time top goalscorer. He scored his 26th goal against Spain. He continued to score, helping Colombia qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

First World Cup and Later Tournaments

Falcao during the penalty shoot-out in the 2018 World Cup round of 16 match against England

Falcao made his World Cup debut in 2018 against Japan. On 24 June, he scored his first World Cup goal against Poland. This was a very special moment for him and his country. Colombia lost in the round of 16 to England on penalties.

He also played in the 2019 Copa América. On 24 September 2022, he played his 100th match for Colombia.

How Falcao Plays Football

Falcao is known as a "natural goal scorer." He can score goals even when it seems difficult. He is very strong and good at holding the ball. He is often called a "pure striker" or "number 9." This means he focuses on scoring goals.

He has powerful and accurate shots. He can shoot well with both his right and left feet. Even though he is not very tall (1.77 m), he is excellent at heading the ball. He can jump high and win aerial challenges. Falcao is also good at taking free-kicks, which is unusual for a striker.

Many people consider him one of the best strikers of his generation. Before his ACL injury, some even called him the best striker in the world. Famous footballers and managers have praised him. Kylian Mbappé, a top player today, said Falcao was like a "teacher" to him.

Life Outside Football

Personal Life

Falcao's signature

Falcao's father, Radamel García, was also a professional footballer. He played as a defender. Falcao chose the number 3 jersey at Rayo Vallecano to honor his father. When he was young, Falcao also played baseball.

His first name, Radamel, comes from a famous Brazilian footballer, Paulo Roberto Falcão. His nickname, "El Tigre," was given to him by a teammate. Falcao is married to Argentine singer Lorelei Tarón. They have five children: Dominique, Desirée, Annette, Jedediah, and Heaven. Falcao is a devout Christian.

He has some English family history. One of his great-grandfathers moved from England to Colombia in 1932. Falcao briefly studied journalism at university.

Helping Others

Falcao is also known for his charity work. In 2013, he helped a company donate money to a United Nations program in Colombia. In 2015, he helped a young Colombian boy find a heart transplant donor.

Honours

River Plate

Argentine Primera División: 2007–08 Clausura

Porto

Primeira Liga: 2010–11
Taça de Portugal: 2009–10, 2010–11
Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2009, 2010, 2011
UEFA Europa League: 2010–11

Atlético Madrid

Copa del Rey: 2012–13
UEFA Europa League: 2011–12
UEFA Super Cup: 2012

Monaco

Ligue 1: 2016–17

Colombia U20

South American Youth Championship: 2005

Individual Awards

South American Team of the Year: 2007
Portuguese Golden Ball: 2010–11
UEFA Europa League Top Scorer: 2010–11 (17 goals), 2011–12 (12 goals)
UEFA Europa League Final Man of the Match: 2011, 2012
UEFA Super Cup Man of the Match: 2012
FIFA FIFPro World11: 2012
Globe Best Footballer: 2012
UNFP Ligue 1 Player of the Month: August 2017
Coupe de la Ligue Top scorer: 2017–18 (3 goals)

Records

Colombia all-time top scorer: 36 goals
Top goal scorer of the UEFA Super Cup: 3 goals (shared with Arie Haan, Oleg Blokhin, Gerd Müller, Rob Rensenbrink, François Van der Elst, Terry McDermott, and Lionel Messi)
Only player to have scored a hat-trick in a single final of the UEFA Super Cup
Only player to score 4 goals in a UEFA Europa League knockout match
One of two players to win two consecutive UEFA Europa League titles with two different teams (shared with Marko Marin)
Most goals scored in a UEFA Europa League season: 17 goals
Most goals scored in the UEFA Europa League: 30 goals
Most goals scored in the UEFA Europa League knockout stages: 20 goals
Most goals in a UEFA Europa League knockout tie: 5 goals (shared with Romelu Lukaku)
Most UEFA Europa League hat-tricks: 3 hat-tricks
Most goals scored in UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League finals: 3 goals
First Colombian footballer to reach the record of 350 goals in his entire career, an achievement achieved in the match between Millonarios vs Patriotas on September 1, 2024.