Falcao’s chance to shine for the ‘Coffee Makers’
● Radamel Falcao was a notable absentee from the 2014 World Cup when James Rodriguez’s six-goal haul carried Colombia to a historic quarterfinal finish.
Now, at age 32, it is the Monaco striker’s chance to shine. The question is: can the Colombia captain shoulder the burden of relaunching Los Cafeteros (the Coffee Makers) after a shock 2-1 defeat to Japan that has made their final Group H games against Poland and Senegal must-win encounters?
Colombia face Poland in Kazan today, and a second consecutive defeat for Jose Pekerman’s technically gifted side would be national disaster.
“We are forced to win. And we must do everything possible to win,” Falcao said at Colombia’s training base in Sviyazhsk just outside Kazan.
“It’s them or us.”
Cruelly deprived of competing in Brazil by a horrific knee injury, Falcao watched from the sidelines as James, whose sumptuous volley against Uruguay was voted goal of the tournament, took Colombia on a whirlwind journey in their first World Cup appearance since France ’98.
Four years on and having relaunched his career with Monaco after a disastrous spell in England with Manchester United and Chelsea, Falcao can showcase the predatory talents that steered Atletico Madrid to the Europa League and Spanish Super Cup victories in 2012.
Falcao scored over 30 goals for Monaco in the 2016-2017 season to help steer the Principality club to the Champions League semifinals and the Ligue 1 title, in front of Paris Saint-Germain.
Yet Colombia’s inauspicious start has handed the Sainta Marta native a far bigger challenge than simply making amends for his absence in Brazil.