COLOMBIA STRIKER RADAMEL Falcao has returned to training with his Monaco team-mates for the first time since injuring his knee in January, the Ligue 1 club announced today.
Falcao, 28, suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during a last-32 French Cup match against amateur side Chasselay, ruling him out for the rest of the season and putting his participation at the World Cup in serious doubt.
However, he has been included in Jose Pekerman’s provisional 30-man squad for the finals in Brazil in the hope that he can recover in time.
Ahead of Monaco’s final league match, at home to Bordeaux on Saturday, Falcao was back in the Principality to continue to work his way back to fitness.
Falcao “didn’t miss out on the opportunity to join his team-mates for the final training session of the season,” read a statement on the club’s website.
He was keen to catch up with his team-mates and take part in the session,” added the club without going into further detail.
In Friday’s edition of the Spanish sports daily Marca, Falcao revealed it would be “impossible” for him to be fully fit for the World Cup but didn’t rule out the possibility of going to the tournament.
The forward said a decision “will be taken very soon” as to whether he’ll be a part of the Colombia squad, which must be finalised by June 2.
“To go (to Brazil) 100 percent ready in a footballing sense will be impossible because I’m short of playing time. To sum things up, if I feel good, I will go. If I see that I’m not sure of myself and that I have nothing to bring to the team, I’ll be reasonable and stay behind.”
Colombia have been drawn in Group C at the World Cup along with Greece, the Ivory Coast and Japan.
They will face Greece in their opening game in Belo Horizonte on June 14.
