By Kevin Hartmann
So far, 2011 has been the best year for the Colombian attacker of the FC Porto, Falcao García. This young player of only 25 years old from the coastal city Santa Marta is right now considered by far, the best player in the coffee country. His goals with the Portuguese team have set him as the main reference of attack in the National Team and in his own club.
Falcao began playing soccer in the low divisions of the team “Millonarios” from Bogotá, the capital of the country. On 2001, with 15 years of age, he was transferred to River Plate, the prestigious club of Buenos Aires in Argentina. On his debut with the professional team at the age of 20, Falcao scored 2 goals for River. His stage on River went up until 2009, scoring 49 goals on 109 appearences; It was in this club in which he won his nickname “the tiger” for his speed and valuable heading aptitude, despite his 1,77 meters of height.
In the season 2010-2011, Falcao and the Colombian gang (James Rodríguez and Freddy Guarín), lead Porto to the victory of the Portuguese League, the 2010 Portuguese Super Cup, and The UEFA European League, in which he passed to History setting a new goalscoring record of 17 goals in 14 games, getting over the previous record held by Jurgen Klinsmann of 15 goals.
Definitely, the tiger roared very loudly on this season, making to the couches around Europe take note about a new big striker on the field. There has been a lot of rumouring around this integral player and the potential acquiring of his services by very important clubs such as Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur. However, the player has said through this week that he’s interested in execute his contract with Porto to all its extent, which is until 2013.
We, the Colombian people, see in Falcao more than a valuable player, but a real and authentic idol; He is a player really committed with a cause, with his passion for soccer and with his efforts to take the Colombian National team to the next FIFA World Cup. We are confident in a team build around Falcao to explode all his potential and abilities, to ensure the goalscoring, which has been a very important issue in the team. The next big test will be the Copa America, which will be played from the 1st until the 18th of July 2011. The certainty of a great present and the hope of a better future, make of this wonderful striker a warranty of goal and weight in whichever team he is in.
