Radamel Falcao Biography

Born on 26 January 1963, Radamel Falcao is a professional football player, who serves at Galatasaray, which is his career’s sixth European club.

Radamel Falcao nationality

is Colombian. He is regarded as a religious person who has frequently done something valuable for poor people of his country. As his father had been a football player, he had the opportunity of learning football basics from his childhood. Undoubtedly, he is known as one of the most dangerous strikers of South American football in the 21st century. As he is a charismatic football player with millions of fans, there will be great to read Radamel Falcao biography.

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All You Need to Know About Radamel Falcao Bio

Radamel Falcao is a Colombian football player who has a fantastic average of goal scoring. At international level, he has not won a major trophy, but at club level, he has helped his teams win different trophies, through scoring so many goals and setting new records. He has made his mark in the highest level of football in Argentina, France, and Spain.

He is a professional football player, like his father. His mother and his two younger sisters have always supported him to win anything. Go ahead and read

Radamel Falcao biography

.

Radamel Falcao Information

As the first item on our article of

Radamel Falcao life story

, let's see who he is in brief.

Radamel Falcao Bio

• Full Name:

  Radamel Falcao García Zárate

• Nickname:

  El Tigre - King of the Europa League

• Profession:

  professional football player

Radamel Falcao Physical Stats

• Weight:

  72 Kilograms

• Height:

  1.77 Meters

• Eye Color:

  Dark Brown

• Hair Color:

  Black

Radamel Falcao Football Information

• Position:

  Forward

• Professional Debut:

  1999

Jersey Number:

9

Radamel Falcao Date of Birth and Personal Info

• Date of Birth:

  10 February 1986

• Birth Place:

  Santa Marta, Colombia

• Zodiac Sign:

  Aquarius

• Nationality:

  Colombian

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Radamel Falcao Early Life

Radamel Falcao’s parents were football player (father) and house keeper (mother). His father remembers Radamel would always come to him crying he should teach him to play football.

Radamel Falcao has always talked about his mother’s role in his life and development. She would handle the life with a professional football player as husband. Moreover, Carmenza Zarate explained the love to Jesus to his son through bedtime stories during his childhood. She had made Radamel Falcao a devout Christian and somebody who truly believes in God.

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Radamel Falcao Profile

Having previously spent a trial at Ajax in Netherlands, Falcao started his professional career at Lanceros Boyacá in the Colombian Categoría Primera B, the second tier in Colombian football. At his debut match, he played the last 20 minutes against Deportivo Pereira, while he was only 13 years old. Therefore, he became the youngest debutant at that level of Colombian professional football.

Falcao has said about his exceptional debut: “I was very young and at the time in Colombia they created a law to incentivise clubs to field younger players. The club I was at, Lanceros, had a lengthy list of injuries and suspensions ruling out all of the regulars. No other players had as much hype surrounding them and they ended up picking me, although I wasn't expecting it.

It was difficult to keep a lid on the feelings that were running through me at the time. It was very exciting to be able to make my debut alongside accomplished professionals. I don't think I was ready to cope with all of that and the emotions linked to preparing for a professional football match. I still tried to enjoy myself on the pitch during the brief cameo that I had and I think I put in an acceptable performance. The most important thing was that I really enjoyed it.”

Falcao was considered more seriously and played seven matches that year. In his two years with the club, he played eight matches and scored once. Radamel Falcao moved to River Plate 2001, for a $500,000 fee. He began his River career in the youth team in the eighth division of Argentine football. His professional debut in River came at the 2005 Torneo Clausura, in March 2005.

In a match against Independiente, Falcao scored two goals for the first time in Argentina. In the match against San Lorenzo in November, Falcao injured the ligaments of his right knee and missed the remainder of the Apertura. Later in January 2006, he suffered a more serious damage to the same knee, which led to a surgery and was expected to keep him out for at least six months. In 2006, he made his debut in CONMEBOL competition, in the 2006 Copa Sudamericana against Atlético Paranaense of Brazil.

In the 2007 Torneo Clausura, Falcao made a little impact, scoring only two goals in a single game. Falcao scored his first professional hat-trick on 28 September 2007, during a phenomenal comeback against Botafogo in the 2007 Sudamericana. One week later, he scored his first goal in a Superclásico, the historic clash between River Plate and Boca Juniors.

Falcao had become a key player in Diego Simeone’s team, as they celebrated the 2008 Torneo Clausura championship, Falcao’s first domestic title. He remained with River as they finished bottom of the 2008 Torneo Apertura, their worst record of all time.

In 2009, Falcao finished the season as top scorer with 43 goals, and subsequently moved to Portugal to join Primeira Liga team

on a €3.93 million transfer. He was close to a Benfica move just a week before. In his debut match, Falcao scored an important goal to save the team from a defeat. On 15 September, he made his UEFA Champions League debut and two weeks later, he scored his first goal in the competition.

On 12 December, Falcao scored a header to defeat rivals Sporting CP in a 1–0 home victory. His brilliant performances would go on and he eventually finished the season as the second-top scorer of the league with 25 goals, behind Óscar Cardozo, with26. He scored in his last game of the season, where Porto won 2–1  in the 2010 Taça de Portugal Final.

Falcao started the 2010–11 season through scoring a goal in the Portuguese Super Cup victory over Benfica. On 7 November, Porto celebrated a massive 5–0 win against the defending champions Benfica, in which Falcao scored a brace.

On 2 December, Falcao scored his first hat-trick for Porto against Rapid Wien in the UEFA Europa League. Four months later, he scored another hat-trick and provided an assist in the quarter-finals of the same competition against Spartak Moscow. He continued to devastate European rivals, scoring four goals in the semi-final against Villarreal. In the Europa League final against Braga, Falcao scored the only goal of the game, leading Porto to the title and setting a new record in the competition, scoring of 17 goals in 14 games.

In July 2011, Falcao extended his contract with a €45 million buy-out clause. However, in the following month,

signed him in a basic €40 million deal, which made Falcao the most expensive player in the club's history. Falcao made his Atlético debut on 11 September, and just one week later, he scored his first hat trick for the club.

After missing the first leg match against

due to injury, Falcao played his first Madrid Derby against on 11 April 2012. He had missed the first match at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium due to injury, and scored Atlético's only goal in a 4-1 defeat. Radamel Falcao kept scoring in the UEFA Europa League for his club, making Atlético the first team to win ten consecutive matches in a single season of the competition. Netting two goals in a 3–0 win against Athletic Bilbao in the final, Falcao became the first player in history to win back-to-back Europa League titles with two different teams.

Falcao scored a hat-trick in the 4–1 victory over Chelsea in the 2012 UEFA Super Cup, and so he was named the first player in history to score a hat trick in a UEFA Super Cup final in its current single legged format. In October, he was nominated for the 2012 FIFA Ballon d'Or, and came in 5th place.

In a match against Sevilla, Falcao scored a penalty, his 50th goal for Atlético. During a marvelous 6-0 victory against Deportivo de La Coruña, Falcao scored five goals, becoming the first player since Fernando Morientes in 2002 to net five goals in a La Liga match.

During a victory over Granada, Radamel Falcao scored two goals, the second one marked his 200th career goal. Falcao was the key player, who helped Atlético Madrid book their place in the Champions League for the first time in four years. He scored his last league goal that season in a 1-2 loss against Barcelona four days later. In the 2013 Copa del Rey Final, Falcao delivered an assist and helped Atlético win the title and defeat Real Madrid for the first time in 14 years.

In 2013, he signed a five-year contract with Ligue 1 side

for an undisclosed fee. Falcao said that he chose Monaco, since he wanted to follow the footsteps of his idol, Thierry Henry. Falcao made his Ligue 1 debut in the first match of the season and scored a late goal against Bordeaux. According to reports, Falcao was heavily linked with Chelsea during the 2013-14 winter transfer window, with Chelsea even agreeing to pay an £80 million fee, but Monaco authorities denied the rumors.

Falcao’s first match in the 2014 calendar year became his Coupe de France debut against Vannes, where he both assisted and scored a goal in a 3–2 victory. In late January, Monaco confirmed Falcao’s severe ACL injury in his left knee that would need 6 months to recover, meant that the Colombian also miss the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

In July, Falcao returned after six months sidelined. On 10 August, in his first competitive match since his injury, Falcao came on after 59 minutes and scored a goal from penalty spot. Falcao’s spell at Monaco did not continue as well as the early months and he left the club for the reason which his father called it changing of the original plan by the club and selling best players of the team to other clubs.

On 1 September 2014,

agreed to sign Falcao on a season-long loan for £6 million subject to a medical examination with an option to sign permanently for £43.5 million at season's end. The deal saw him earn £265,000 per week at the club. Despite joining temporarily under a loan contract, Falcao said he would fight to stay at United for many years and become a legend at the club.

Falcao made his debut at Old Trafford on 14 September, playing the final 23 minutes of a 4–0 win over Queens Park Rangers, United’s first win of the season. On 5 October, he scored his first goal for United, the winner in a 2–1 home victory against Everton. Later, he scored against Stoke City and Aston Villa.

After being left out of the squad against Southampton on 11 January, his future at the club was put under doubt when his agent, Jorge Mendes, said that Radamel "may not be at Old Trafford at the start of next season". Poor performances caused media pressure on Falcao, as even his fitness got questioned. On 10 March, Falcao played for Man United’s under-21 team. The decision was called "disrespectful" and "disgraceful" by pundits and former football players.

Diego Maradona also criticized Van Gaal for his treatment of Falcao, saying, "he was closer to the devil than anything." At the end of the season, Manchester United announced their decision to not keep Falcao at Old Trafford for the following season.

In the same summer,

signed Falcao on a season-long loan deal worth £4 million with the option of a permanent transfer at the end of the season. Mario Pašalić went to Monaco on loan in exchange for Falcao joining Chelsea.

Falcao made his debut during the 2015 FA Community Shield at Wembley Stadium, and his league debut came six days later. On 29 August, Falcao scored his first and only Chelsea goal, in a 1–2 home defeat to Crystal Palace. The situation went difficult for Falcao, as he got injured and was dropped from the team's Champions League squad.

Falcao returned to Monaco in July 2016, and was made team captain by coach Leonardo Jardim. Falcao scored for Monaco in a Champions League qualifier, his first appearance for the club in two seasons. One of his best nights in the season came on 10 December, when he scored his first Ligue 1 hat-trick in a 4–0 win against Bordeaux, boosting his season tally to 14 goals in 15 competitive games, and 10 goals in just 579 minutes of Ligue 1 playing time.

On 21 February, Falcao scored twice, but missed a penalty in a 5–3 away loss to Manchester City in the Champions League round of 16 first leg match. In spite of his absence due to injury, Monaco eventually won the second leg 3–1 and qualified to the quarter-finals on away goals rule. On 19 April, he scored a goal in a 3–1 victory over Borussia Dortmund, leading the club to the first Champions League semi-finals since 2004. Falcao scored a brace on the final league matchday in a 4–0 victory against Lille on 14 May and ended the season claiming the Ligue 1 title. On 1 June, he extended his contract a further three years.

Falcao's form and back-to-back scorings during the next season led him to being nominated for 2017 Ballon d'Or. In a match against his former club FC Porto in UEFA Champions League, Falcao scored a goal but refused to celebrate out of respect to his former club, which made Porto fans applauding him. Ultimately, Falcao finished the season as top scorer with 18 league goals in 26 matches.

Falcao finished as Monaco's top scorer with 16 goals across all competitions. 2018-19 was a season to forget for them, as they avoided relegation.

On 2 September 2019, Falcao joined Turkish side

on a free transfer with a three-year contract and annual salary of €5 million. He scored the club’s winning and only goal on his debut. On 28 December, he scored his first brace with the club in a 5–0 win over Antalyaspor at home. Also, in March 2020, he scored another brace against Gençlerbirliği in a 3–0 win.

At international level, Falcao earned experience via playing in Under 17 and Under 20 teams. As a senior player, he has participated in three editions of Copa America and a single edition of FIFA World Cup. He missed the 2014 World Cup due to an injury, while he was in an outstanding form before getting injured.

Style of Play

Radamel Falcao is known for certain things: his insane capability of scoring goals even in the most difficult situations, his intelligence and skill in chip shots, and his technique as well as physical strength.

Reception

After his outstanding debut season with Atletico Madrid, his purchase was called the "best purchase of the 21st century"

When Radamel Falcao joined Manchester United, Cristiano Ronaldo praised both the player and the club for the transfer, calling him a "top, quality, very good player", and a "fantastic buy."

Jose Pekerman, Colombia’s manager said after Falcao’s goal against Poland during the 2018 FIFA World Cup: “I think (Falcao's goal) is one of the greatest joys that we received tonight. He is a symbol of the national team, a symbol of Colombian football.”

Lionel Messi said about Falcao in 2011: “I'd like to play with him. Falcao is a great player and is at a very high level. He has won everything in a season in which he scored many goals. He is, today, the great reference of Colombian football.”

Goal Celebration

Not a single type of celebration, but Radamel Falcao has some memorable images from his goal celebrations, especially in Monaco and Atletico Madrid shirts.

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Radamel Falcao Outside Football

Radamel Falcao had the chance to choose between baseball and football, when he was a child. He used to play baseball, the most popular sport in Venezuela. 

Radamel Falcao himself says: “At the time we were in Venezuela and baseball is the biggest sport there. I played it and was competing at a very high level. My father realized that I'd have to make a decision and decided that we should go back to Colombia so that I could focus solely on football. It would have been more difficult to do that in Venezuela because I might have been tempted by baseball, which I liked and was able to play at the same time as football.”

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Radamel Falcao Personal Life

He is partially of English descent; George King, one of his great-grandfathers, emigrated from North Yorkshire in 1932 with his wife to Colombia. After his wife’s death, he married a Colombian woman and had 5 children, one of them was Falcao's grandmother, Denis. Falcao's father tried to obtain a British passport for his son, but his request was rejected. Radamel Falcao’s uncle was Herbert King, a film actor who died in August 2018.

Falcao’s name was gotten from the 1980s Brazil national team player Paulo Roberto Falcão. His nickname, "El Tigre" (Spanish for "The Tiger"), was given by Gonzalo Ludueña, his teammate at River Plate.

Radamel Falcao religion

is Christian, and Gonzalo Ludueña said about him, “We hid from Falcao because he would look for us in every room to take us to church on Sunday, our free day.”

Family, Children and Relationships

Radamel was born in Santa Marta to Radamel Garcia, his father, and Carmenza Zarate, his mother. His father was a professional football player. He has two younger sisters, Michelle Andrea and Melanie Grecia. Both of them are residents in the United States, and play tennis.

Radamel Falcao said about his main supporters and family members who had affected him the most: “Without doubt it was my mother and my two sisters. I have two younger sisters and during those first four years when I was in Argentina, I wasn't around to see them grow up. It was very hard for all of us because missing out on that period and not seeing them grow up was tough for me.”

Falcao has been married to Argentine singer and model Lorelei Tarón since 2007. They first met in a church while Falcao was 18 and he was playing for River. Their first child, Dominique García Tarón was born on 13 August 2013 in Monaco. Their second daughter, Desirée García Tarón, was born in February 2015. His third daughter, Annette García Tarón, was born in August 2017, while Dominique was four years old. In December 2018, Falcao remarried his wife. Their first son, Jedediah García Tarón, was born in September 2020. Due to his wife's Polish descent, Falcao’s children also hold Polish passports.

Philanthropy

Being known as a generous human, Radamel Falcao has donated several times to charity organizations and people. While playing for AS Monaco in 2013, he convinced Swiss watchmaker Hublot to donate $100,000 to a United Nations program in Colombia, after touring the area with him.

It was reported that the money would go to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime before reaching Cienaga Grande, a community near the coastal city of Santa Marta. Falcao took representatives from Hublot to the community in order to visit some of the programs that the U.N. supported.

The programs included grass-root development projects like small-scale fishing, fish farming and animal breeding, while the Hublot representatives had come up with the idea of improving local foundations earlier. At that time, they said the donation would be used to build sports facilities to give the inhabitants the opportunity of participating in activities such as soccer, basketball, and volleyball.

Later in January 2015, Radamel Falcao helped a 17-year-old Colombian boy find a heart transplant donor.

John Andrés Uyaban is the name of a boy, who had been on the waiting list for two years, when Falcao realized his situation. His relatives informed Falcao through a Facebook message: “Help us get a new heart for John Andrés, a 17-year-old kid with all the desire to keep fighting.” Ten days later, John Andrés received news that he would receive the heart of another young man from Medellín, who had died in an accident.

John Andrés’s mother said: “I give thanks to God and Falcao – he’s related to some cousins of mine who talked first to his father [Radamel Garcia] seeking his help in this effort. I always had that hope that Falcao would help us because he’s a public figure. Everyone listens to him and he’s also very humble and really believes in God.”

Legal Issues

In 2017, Falcao was suspected of tax evasion during his era at Atletico Madrid from 2011 to 2013. He was accused of using a web of shell companies in the British Virgin Islands, Ireland, and Panama to avoid image rights taxes. Falcao did not deny the allegations but he argued that in 2013 he was not resident in Spain and so did not owe any tax there.

Falcao was also accused of defrauding around €5.6 million of income earned from image rights. Ultimately, Falcao was fined nine million euros and handed a 16-month prison term for tax fraud.

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Radamel Falcao Career Statistics

In this part of

Radamel Falcao biography

, let us take a look at career statistics of this amazing player, both in club and international levels.

Club

Falcao started in his country, where he earned eight appearances and scored two goals for Lanceros Boyacá. Then, he made a total 111 appearances for River Plate and managed to score 45 goals. In his first European experience, Falcao impressed everyone, while he played 87 matches and scored 72 goals. At Atletico Madrid, he continued the trend, scoring 70 goals in 91 games. During his five seasons at Monaco, Falcao played 140 matches across all competitions and scored 83 times. His only unsuccessful spells were at Man United and Chelsea, where he scored four and one goals respectively. Finally, at Galatasaray, Radamel Falcao has scored 16 goals in 31 matches.

International

Radamel Falcao has been a Colombia national team player since 2007. During this 14-year period, he has won 91 international caps and scored 35 goals for his national team.

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Radamel Falcao Honors

In this part of Radamel Falcao biography, we look at his honors as a player. He won the 2007-08 Clausura title, while playing for River Plate. At Porto, he won a single edition of Primeira Liga and UEFA Europa League, along side four other domestic trophies. At Atletico Madrid, Falcao won the 2012-13 Copa del Rey, the 2011-12 UEFA Europa League, and the 2012 UEFA Super Cup. At Monaco, he just won a single title of Ligue 1.

In case of individual honors, Falcao has won plenty of awards, the most notable ones listed below:

•     Portuguese Golden Ball: 2010–11

•     UEFA Europa League Top Scorer: 2010–11 (17 goals), 2011–12 (12 goals)

•     FIFA FIFPro World11: 2012

•     Globe Best Footballer: 2012

•     Colombia all-time top scorer: 35 goals

•     Most goals scored in a UEFA Europa League season: 17 goals

•     Most goals scored in the UEFA Europa League: 30 goals

•     Most UEFA Europa League hat-tricks: 3 hat-tricks

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