Thursday, 13th September, 2012
Russia coach Fabio Capello believes that Colombia striker Radamel Falcao is now the number one goalscorer in world football.
Falcao joined Atletico Madrid from FC Porto last summer and instantly shone in La Liga, scoring 24 goals in 34 matches, while in Europe he also led his side to win the Europa League, finding the back of the net 12 times in the successful cup run.
Had Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi not so dominated the Spanish top flight, Falcao would undoubtedly have gained more recognition – but his form so far this season is such that not even the Ronaldo-Messi combination can put him in the shade.
Falcao burst back into action in the UEFA Super Cup final, bagging a hat-trick as Atletico Madrid tore apart Champions League winners Chelsea to win 4-1.
In La Liga he has also hit the ground running, scoring three goals in two games so far.
Capello has been impressed and can only recall being similarly so with Messi himself.
"In my entire career, there has only been one player who has impressed me as much as Messi the first time that I saw him, and that is Radamel Falcao", the former England manager told Gazzetta dello Sport.
"He is a great striker, surely now the number one."
Capello will be thankful that Falcao turns out for Colombia at international level, a country Russia cannot meet on their qualification route to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
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