Father casts doubt on Falcao World Cup fitness

Bogota: The father of Colombia star Radamel Falcao on Wednesday raised doubts as to his son`s chances of being fit to take part in the World Cup finals.

Falcao, 28, ruptured anterior cruciate knee ligaments playing for Monaco in a French Cup tie in January, but he has always been hopeful of recovering in time to go to Brazil and on Tuesday was named in Colombia coach Jose Pekerman`s provisional 30-man squad for the finals. However, such injuries usually need six months to recover, and his father Radamel Garcia told Colombian radio station RCN: "Clinically he is doing really well, but he is not in a footballing sense. "Up until now he has only been recovering physically, but now we need to see what happens, between now and the World Cup," he added. "He has practically 60 percent recovered. But the rest is still missing: resistance, strength, speed, coordination, the fundamental things for a high-level sportsman." Pekerman has until June 2 to decide whether Falcao makes his final 23-man squad. 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.