With the sounds coming out of the Monaco fitness room growing increasingly positive about the chances of Falcao featuring in Brazil 2014, it might seem tempting to assume that the sight of El Tigre in full flow, terrorizing opposition defences, is going to be a feature of this year’s tournament. However, whilst Falcao’s surgeon has suggested that he’ll make the World Cup, he has also claimed that the star is unlikely to be at 100% fitness. This means that it is likely that Colombian coach, Jose Pekerman, will have to look elsewhere for reliable strikers to lead the line; giving him the chance to introduce Falcao when he’s needed, lessening the risk of aggravating his injury.
Falcao is such a dominant figure both at club level and internationally, that it’s easy to forget that Colombia can call upon several other top-quality forwards to help them claim their best ever World Cup position (which surely has to be the goal; a victory would be nice, but a quarter-final run is perhaps more realistic and would be a massive achievement for a nation who have been absent from sport’s greatest contest for 16 years). But who are these players, I hear you ask…well, I’m going to give you the run down now:
Option 1: Jackson Martinez
Surely the most likely candidate to replace El Tigre in the starting line-up, Martinez has been banging in the goals for Porto in the Portuguese league, just as Falcao did before him. With 54 appearances and 44 goals since joining the club from Chiapas in 2012, Martinez is putting up Falcao-esque numbers: the long-haired legend netted 41 in 51 during his 2 season spell in Portugal. He’s probably the most similar player to Falcao available to Pekerman: he’s strong and quick, likes to play on the shoulder of the last man, and scores goals for fun.
Chances of going to Brazil: Equivalent of me enjoying an ice-cold Poker this weekend; pretty much guaranteed!
Option 2: Carlos Bacca
The same ages as Martinez (27: supposedly around the age when strikers reach their peak), Bacca doesn’t have quite the same goal-scoring record (19 goals in 41 games for Sevilla), but he is playing at arguably a higher standard in La Liga, and has been netting against the likes of Real Madrid. If it were up to me, Bacca would be an understudy to Martinez: Jackson’s style fits better with the way that Colombia are already set-up to play with Falcao in the side. Keep Bacca as a goal-scoring sub.
Chances of going to Brazil: About as likely as England flattering to deceive then going out in the second round i.e. pretty darn likely!
Option 3: Adrian Ramos
A bit more of a wildcard option than the previous two, Ramos has had a solid season in Germany with Hertha Berlin, and has just sealed a move to Borussia Dortmund. Dortmund seem to view him as the man to fill Robert Lewandowski’s sizeable boots, which is a fairly high recommendation. His 16 goals in 24 games for the German side is an excellent return, and he definitely has an outside chance of being on the plane when Colombia fly out to Brazil in June (although if it were me, I’d hire an Amazon river-boat to get there: way more fun than a flight!).
Chances of going to Brazil: Like trying to organize a night-out with that one unreliable friend; he might go, he might not.
Those are the three main option then; it seems likely that at least 2 of them with be joining the not-100% Falcao in Brazil come June. And they’re great options to have: all scoring regularly in major European competitions, most countries would kill to have a problem like that. Falcao is a talismanic figure, beloved by most Colombians, and for him not have the chance to bless the tournament with his considerable talents would be a shame for everyone (except Greece, Japan and Ivory Coast…); however, do not fear, ’cause Colombia have some fairly formidable talents waiting in the wings to replace him.
Fuerza Falcao and Vamos Colombia!
Chris
