9.  RADAMEL FALCAO

Radamel Falcao García Zárate (Spanish pronunciation: [raðaˈmel falˈkao]; 10 February 1986), also known as Radamel Falcao, Falcao García or simply as Falcao, is a Colombian professional footballer who plays as a striker for English club Chelsea, on loan from French club Monaco, and the Colombia national team. He is sometimes nicknamed El Tigre (Spanish for The Tiger) and King of the Europa League.

Falcao is commonly cited as one of the best strikers in the world. He surpassed Jürgen Klinsmann's record of 15 goals (17) in a single annual club football European competition UEFA Champions League/UEFA Europa League campaign in 2011. He also played a key role in guiding FC Porto to a second Europa League title, as well as finishing undefeated in the 2010–11 Primeira Liga season. In July 2011, Falcao received the Portuguese Golden Ball award, becoming the first Colombian to do so. He came fifth in the 2012 FIFA Ballon d'Or and was named in the FIFA XI for 2012.

In his first three seasons in European football, Falcao scored over 100 goals. Falcao had played a key role in Atlético Madrid's 12-match winning streak in a single Europa League season, making it the first team to do so. He also became the top goal scorer in both tournaments. Falcao won his first UEFA Super Cup in 2012, becoming the first player in history to score a hat trick in the contest since its reform in 1998. On 9 December 2012, Falcao scored five goals in one game in a 6–0 home victory against Deportivo de La Coruña. In the 2013 Copa del Rey Final, Falcao played a crucial part in Atlético Madrid's victory over Real Madrid, ending the 14-year unbeaten streak which Real Madrid had held in matches against Atlético prior to the final.

Falcao made his full international debut for Colombia in 2007 and has since earned over 50 caps and scored 25 goals for the team, making him their top scorer of all time. He represented the country at the 2011 Copa América, but missed the 2014 FIFA World Cup through an ACL injury.

On 3 July 2015, Chelsea signed Falcao on a season-long loan deal with the option of a permanent transfer at the end of the season. The move reunited him with his Colombia team-mate Juan Cuadrado and former Atlético Madrid team-mates Diego Costa, Filipe Luis and Thibaut Courtois. Midfielder Mario Pašalić went to Monaco on loan in exchange for Falcao joining Chelsea.