The father of Radamel Falcao revealed his son is "60 percent recovered" as the striker races to return from a knee injury to boost Colombia's World Cup bid.#INSERT type:image caption:Radamel Falcao has been included in Colombia's 30-man provisional World Cup squad.END#
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Falcao, 28, has not played since January after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during a Coupe de France game with his club, Monaco, but has been included in Colombia's 30-man provisional squad for the tournament in Brazil.#INSERT type:inline END#
With a six-to-seven-month layoff expected, the former Porto and Atletico Madrid forward's participation in Brazil looked unlikely, but there now appears to be a good prospect of seeing him feature for his country after Radamel Garcia sounded optimistic on Colombian radio station RCN.
"He's practically 60 percent recovered," said Garcia. "Now, he is just lacking the rest: the resistance; the strength; the speed; the coordination, the fundamental things for a top-level athlete.
"Clinically, he's very good. The problem is that he isn't in football terms. Up till now, what he has got back is his physical shape. So we'll have to see what happens between now and the World Cup."
Falcao scored nine goals in 17 Ligue 1 appearances before his knee injury, with Monaco certain of finishing second behind title-winners Paris Saint-Germain.