My first memories from my childhood are being in a dressing room with him and taking me by the hand. His is a family story, which makes it a football story too, told through photographs and in the quiet, almost gentle voice that characterizes him, a hint of timidity in the man they call The Tiger.
It is more than just that each stage of Falcao's career is captured on camera, from River Plate to Porto to Manchester United and now, at Galatasaray. In the family album, he is a little kid in red, blue, white and yellow, but bigger each time. He is dressed in the same kit as his favourite footballer.
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King played for the gold medal in the Olympics. He played for many different clubs in both Venezuela and Colombia. His son followed him everywhere. Falcao was 10 years old when his father retired. He was only three years from his own professional debut and it would be his father who would go to games.
The father of Falcao passed away in January. He had seen his son play in six different countries and score more goals for his country than any other player in their history. Falcao wears No. 3 at Rayo Vallecano. It is a strange number for a forward, but his father wore it. There is no better homage. His whole career is arguably the best of all time, who he is and the way he is too.
The moment he defines the impact his father had on him is when Falcao speaks softly.
Falcao says that his passion for the game was born because of him. The values that I make my way through life and this game are from my father. He was a vital person in my life.
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There was something in the title of the conference that Radamel Sr. spoke at a few years ago. When he was playing in the seventh tier at River, his nickname was not given to him by his father, but rather by his teammate, Gonzalo Ludue. Falcao is the middle name of the former Brazilian international who played for Rayo.
Some player is for sure. No pressure, kid. He had an admiration for Falcao and he had good taste. I have never met him. I am named in his honor, so I would love to meet him. My father convinced my mother to call me like him.
Was that difficult? Another smile.
Falcao was encouraged to become a forward by his father, who was a defender. The strikers have more fun.
That joy is still there. His approach, enthusiasm for it all, and his attitude are all his. His father is also aware. Playing the game meant that the father could mold his son and prepare him for the reality.
El AS Monaco presenta sus condolencias a Radamel Falcao y familia, tras el fallecimiento de su padre, Radamel García King. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/05rPvjaagy
— AS Monaco ES 🇲🇨 (@AS_Monaco_ES) January 4, 2019
Falcao recalls being surrounded by professional football players inside a dressing room, learning how to handle himself. At a very early age, living all of this gave me the chance to say that I wanted to play professional football once I got older.
He did not have to get older.
There used to be a rule that teams in the Second Division had to field players under the age of 16. They didn't have me in their plans to play in the first team that season, but I stood out in my team. They had no other choice but to put me on the field.
It wasn't the way it was planned, but it was a start of a career that would make Falcao one of the best finishers in the game. Three hundred goals were scored at a ridiculous rate. He scored 72 in 87 games at Porto. His club was not the only thing that went beyond that. The mark he made in Madrid is still there almost a decade later. His humility helped explain his success, but it tends to be lost as soon as success arrives.
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There is no easy way to remember how good he was when he was here. The entire Atltico era begins with him. He was reborn. He led them to a European competition and asked his kids if they saw Falcao. The final game for the club was the Copa del Rey final against Real Madrid. It was the first time in over a decade that they had beaten their city rivals, and the curse was broken.
He left for France because of an injury, but he hadn't really wanted to go. There were reports that he would return to the city if he had left. Florentino Pérez would later admit that Real Madrid were interested. It seemed like he was. The deal was done to take him to the Bernab, and there was a deleted post that suggested it.
He admits that there was speculation about that possibility.
Was that possibility real?
I don't know. I don't think so. With the rivalry there and my identification with Atltico, I don't think there was any chance of it happening.
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He really is back now. The tiny team is from the working class neighborhood to the east of the city. It is not the kind of place where players like him are supposed to be, but a conversation with a teammate made it happen. The club was suggested that this could really happen by the one who set the ball rolling.
The relationship with Mario continued after I left Atltico Madrid, and he helped me make a decision.
It is tempting to conclude that Suárez can't have told him everything about the club. Rayo is a mess of a club. It was different as a team. There was a certain logic behind the change. There was something almost incredulous about the reaction when Falcao came back to Madrid. There was a warmth towards him.
I wanted to remain an important piece for the national team, so I prioritised staying in a competitive league. The chance to join Rayo made sense in every way; with this highly talented squad, I felt very excited and the ability of the team.
I am very happy to have joined the club. We had a great first half of the season. The team is confident that they will get through the run that has not been that positive.
He says that Madrid was a city that marked him a lot. It is a strategic place for Latin Americans. The customs are similar to Latin America, and it's easy to adjust to here.
It has been exciting for me and my family. I came with the hope and enthusiasm to help the squad. My family and I will never forget this. I would like to thank the club and the Rayo supporters who have welcomed me.
The whole place went crazy when he scored.
The ball was in the net after 10 minutes and 24 seconds, a familiar sight in Spain. He said that he dreamed of coming on and scoring. He meant in the match that it was a three nil win against Getafe. Falcao embraced his teammates and then raised his hands to his father, who was in the stands, as he celebrated.
Falcao is 36 years old. It has been 23 years since he made his professional debut, but there is still something almost child-like about him, even though he has been away from the game for so long.
The day that I stop feeling it is when I will step aside. The passion I have for this game is how I have lived it since I was a young boy.
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