Colombia soccer star Radamel Falcao could be back on the field by the first game of the World Cup, Colombian media on Tuesday reported his doctor as saying.
Striker Falcao could potentially be scoring goals against Greece on June 14 during the Colombian national team’s first game in Brazil this summer.
Falcao’s Brazilian doctor Jose Carlos Noronah reportedly told Brazilian and Colombian radio that he was heading to Madrid, Spain to see Falcao this week. Dr. Noronah then told radio that if Falcao’s “MRI shows an optimal aspect of new ligament and an absence of inflammation around it, it seems likely that in 12 weeks Falcao can take the grass.”
This is tremendous news for Colombian soccer fans who have been nervously hoping for the swift recovery of “El Tigre,” as he is affectionately known around Colombia.
Falcao badly injured his knee in late January, rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament during a match in France where he plays professionally for Monaco. Immediately following the injury it was widely considered that Colombia’s star player would miss the entirety of the 2014 World Cup. Now it seems that with luck El Tigre could be back in action just in time.
Colombia is expected to play well in its group stage. Group C is one of the less name heavy groups, consisting of Japan, Greece and Ivory Coast.
Colombia plays Greece on June 14, Ivory Coast on June 19 and Japan on June 24.