Radamel Falcao
FC Porto have this uncanny ability to pick up brilliant, yet relatively unknown South American forwards and mould them into goal-machines. One such player they worked on was Radamel Falcao.
At one point of time, he was the best striker in the world. His games-per-goal ratio constantly competed with that of Lionel Messi’s and Cristiano Ronaldo’s as he shredded many defenses like wheat.
In his two seasons at Porto, he scored 72 goals in 85 games and helped them to a minor treble (the one with Europa League instead of the Champions League) with his outstanding goal-scoring prowess.
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He took his career to the next level when he signed for Atletico Madrid—another club known for having a fantastic history with South American strikers—who had recently hired a talented manager in Diego Simeone.
The fairytale continued for two more seasons, where he played 91 games to score 70 goals and helped Atletico Madrid become genuine challengers in La Liga. But then money came in and ruined it for him.
As the sudden-rich Monaco came calling with tons of money, Falcao left the Rojiblancos. Some say that it was a smokescreen move for the Colombian to join Real Madrid—the club that showed the most interest in him—the following season.
However, facts are facts. And the fact remains that a host of European giants wanted him, but he chose AS Monaco where he, according to Spanish media outlet AS, earned 16 million euros a year in net wages.
That move, however, was a cursed one. Now—two-and-a-half years later—he finds himself warming the bench of Chelsea and look like a Sunday Pub league player whenever he plays. In his post-Atleti time, he has played in 63 games and scored only 14 goals.
It must also be added that injuries were one of the biggest reasons for his failure, but perhaps in the familiar environment of Atleti’s, he might have recuperated better.
