Radamel Falcao

Some boys are made for the game. Radamel Falcao is one of them. He was born into a football family, named for a football legend, and when you add that to his natural talent, well it’s no surprise that he plays high atop the football world. Often hailed for his natural form and superhuman goals, he has earned a reputation for being a menace in all the right ways—striking and scoring without warning. At age 15, he joined the River Plate’s youth academy, where his teammates named him “El Tigre” after a particularly excellent match in which he played like an animal. He trained hard and also studied journalism before beginning his career at 19. But his quick climb to success was stopped by a knee injury. He came back in 2007 and made up for lost time by scoring 45 goals in 109 games and winning the Championship in 2008. In 2009, he joined Porto FC where his game exploded: 34 goals in 42 games for his first year plus the Portuguese Cup. His 2010-2011 season was nothing shy of outstanding: 39 goals in 42 appearances, numerous titles, and he beat the previous record of Klinsmann by scoring 17 goals in only 13 games in the UEFA Europa League. In August 2011, he signed for Atletico Madrid for a new record transfer fee in the club’s history. Falcao is also the leader of the Colombia National Team. When not on pitch, he works closely with youth groups, enjoys connecting with fans through his Twitter account, and always has an eye out for rollercoasters when on holiday.