MIGUEL RIOPA via Getty Images
Radamel Falcao still has a chance of being fit for the World Cup after undergoing successful knee surgery.
The Colombia striker was involved in an ill-fated challenge with centre-back Soner Ertek during Monaco's French Cup clash with Chasselay last week and suffered a cruciate injury.
But the operation on his knee was a success and the 27-year-old's dream of featuring in Brazil could yet happen.
Falcao's operation
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Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos (C) and his wife Maria Clemencia Rodriguez visit Colombian football player Radamel Falcao at the Trindade Hospital in Porto on January 25, 2014. Monaco's Colombian striker Radamel Falcao requires surgery on the left knee injury picked up in a clash with a school teacher playing for an amateur side in a French Cup tie on January 22 which almost certainly rules the star out of the World Cup. AFP PHOTO / MIGUEL RIOPA (Photo credit should read MIGUEL RIOPA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Colombian football player Radamel Falcao smiles during a visit of Colombian President at the Trindade Hospital in Porto on January 25, 2014. Monaco's Colombian striker Radamel Falcao requires surgery on the left knee injury picked up in a clash with a school teacher playing for an amateur side in a French Cup tie on January 22 which almost certainly rules the star out of the World Cup. AFP PHOTO / MIGUEL RIOPA (Photo credit should read MIGUEL RIOPA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Colombian football player Radamel Falcao (R) with his surgeon Jose Carlos Noronha (L) at the Trindade Hospital in Porto on January 25, 2014. Monaco's Colombian striker Radamel Falcao requires surgery on the left knee injury picked up in a clash with a school teacher playing for an amateur side in a French Cup tie on January 22 which almost certainly rules the star out of the World Cup. AFP PHOTO / MIGUEL RIOPA (Photo credit should read MIGUEL RIOPA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos (R) chats with Colombian football player Radamel Falcao at the Trindade Hospital in Porto on January 25, 2014. Monaco's Colombian striker Radamel Falcao requires surgery on the left knee injury picked up in a clash with a school teacher playing for an amateur side in a French Cup tie on January 22 which almost certainly rules the star out of the World Cup. AFP PHOTO / MIGUEL RIOPA (Photo credit should read MIGUEL RIOPA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos (R) chats with Colombian football player Radamel Falcao at the Trindade Hospital in Porto on January 25, 2014. Monaco's Colombian striker Radamel Falcao requires surgery on the left knee injury picked up in a clash with a school teacher playing for an amateur side in a French Cup tie on January 22 which almost certainly rules the star out of the World Cup. AFP PHOTO / MIGUEL RIOPA (Photo credit should read MIGUEL RIOPA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos (2nd L) chat with Colombian football player Radamel Falcao (L) and his surgeon Jose Carlos Noronha (C), football agent Jorge Mendes (2nd R) and FC Porto's president Jorge Pinto da Costa at the Trindade Hospital in Porto on January 25, 2014. Monaco's Colombian striker Radamel Falcao requires surgery on the left knee injury picked up in a clash with a school teacher playing for an amateur side in a French Cup tie on January 22 which almost certainly rules the star out of the World Cup. AFP PHOTO / MIGUEL RIOPA (Photo credit should read MIGUEL RIOPA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos (C) chats with Colombian football player Radamel Falcao (L) and his surgeon Jose Carlos Noronha at the Trindade Hospital in Porto on January 25, 2014. Monaco's Colombian striker Radamel Falcao requires surgery on the left knee injury picked up in a clash with a school teacher playing for an amateur side in a French Cup tie on January 22 which almost certainly rules the star out of the World Cup. AFP PHOTO / MIGUEL RIOPA (Photo credit should read MIGUEL RIOPA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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A man reads a newspaper with news of Monaco's Colombian football striker Radamel Falcao Garcia at the streets in Medellin, Antioquia department, Colombia, on January 24, 2013. Falcao requires surgery on the left knee injury picked up in a clash with a school teacher playing for an amateur side in Wednesday's French Cup tie which almost certainly rules the star out of the World Cup. News of the influential scorer's impending operation was confirmed Thursday in a statement issued by his club. While Monaco did not specify how long they expected him to be out of action the plight of the nation's top player caused consternation in Colombia. AFP PHOTO/ Raul ARBOLEDA (Photo credit should read RAUL ARBOLEDA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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A woman reads a newspaper with news of Monaco's Colombian football striker Radamel Falcao Garcia at the streets in Medellin, Antioquia department, Colombia, on January 24, 2013. Falcao requires surgery on the left knee injury picked up in a clash with a school teacher playing for an amateur side in Wednesday's French Cup tie which almost certainly rules the star out of the World Cup. News of the influential scorer's impending operation was confirmed Thursday in a statement issued by his club. While Monaco did not specify how long they expected him to be out of action the plight of the nation's top player caused consternation in Colombia. AFP PHOTO/ Raul ARBOLEDA (Photo credit should read RAUL ARBOLEDA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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A man reads a newspaper with news of Monaco's Colombian football striker Radamel Falcao Garcia at the streets in Medellin, Antioquia department, Colombia, on January 24, 2013. Falcao requires surgery on the left knee injury picked up in a clash with a school teacher playing for an amateur side in Wednesday's French Cup tie which almost certainly rules the star out of the World Cup. News of the influential scorer's impending operation was confirmed Thursday in a statement issued by his club. While Monaco did not specify how long they expected him to be out of action the plight of the nation's top player caused consternation in Colombia. AFP PHOTO/ Raul ARBOLEDA (Photo credit should read RAUL ARBOLEDA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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A woman holds a newspaper with news of Monaco's Colombian football striker Radamel Falcao Garcia at the streets in Medellin, Antioquia department, Colombia, on January 24, 2013. Falcao requires surgery on the left knee injury picked up in a clash with a school teacher playing for an amateur side in Wednesday's French Cup tie which almost certainly rules the star out of the World Cup. News of the influential scorer's impending operation was confirmed Thursday in a statement issued by his club. While Monaco did not specify how long they expected him to be out of action the plight of the nation's top player caused consternation in Colombia. AFP PHOTO/ Raul ARBOLEDA (Photo credit should read RAUL ARBOLEDA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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A man reads a newspaper with news of Monaco's Colombian football striker Radamel Falcao Garcia at the streets in Medellin, Antioquia department, Colombia, on January 24, 2013. Falcao requires surgery on the left knee injury picked up in a clash with a school teacher playing for an amateur side in Wednesday's French Cup tie which almost certainly rules the star out of the World Cup. News of the influential scorer's impending operation was confirmed Thursday in a statement issued by his club. While Monaco did not specify how long they expected him to be out of action the plight of the nation's top player caused consternation in Colombia. AFP PHOTO/ Raul ARBOLEDA (Photo credit should read RAUL ARBOLEDA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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A man reads a newspaper with news of Monaco's Colombian football striker Radamel Falcao Garcia at the streets in Medellin, Antioquia department, Colombia, on January 24, 2013. Falcao requires surgery on the left knee injury picked up in a clash with a school teacher playing for an amateur side in Wednesday's French Cup tie which almost certainly rules the star out of the World Cup. News of the influential scorer's impending operation was confirmed Thursday in a statement issued by his club. While Monaco did not specify how long they expected him to be out of action the plight of the nation's top player caused consternation in Colombia. AFP PHOTO/ Raul ARBOLEDA (Photo credit should read RAUL ARBOLEDA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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A man reads a newspaper with news of Monaco's Colombian football striker Radamel Falcao Garcia at the streets in Medellin, Antioquia department, Colombia, on January 24, 2013. Falcao requires surgery on the left knee injury picked up in a clash with a school teacher playing for an amateur side in Wednesday's French Cup tie which almost certainly rules the star out of the World Cup. News of the influential scorer's impending operation was confirmed Thursday in a statement issued by his club. While Monaco did not specify how long they expected him to be out of action the plight of the nation's top player caused consternation in Colombia. AFP PHOTO/ Raul ARBOLEDA (Photo credit should read RAUL ARBOLEDA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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A woman holds a newspaper with news of Monaco's Colombian football striker Radamel Falcao Garcia at the streets in Medellin, Antioquia department, Colombia, on January 24, 2013. Falcao requires surgery on the left knee injury picked up in a clash with a school teacher playing for an amateur side in Wednesday's French Cup tie which almost certainly rules the star out of the World Cup. News of the influential scorer's impending operation was confirmed Thursday in a statement issued by his club. While Monaco did not specify how long they expected him to be out of action the plight of the nation's top player caused consternation in Colombia. AFP PHOTO/ Raul ARBOLEDA (Photo credit should read RAUL ARBOLEDA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
The Portuguese doctor who performed the operation on Saturday said "there's a possibility of him going" to the finals, which start on 12 June.
José Carlos Noronha, at the hospital in Oporto, said "it's not out of the question" and gave Falcao a better than 50% chance of making it to Brazil.