After Nearly 25 Years Away, Falcao Returns Home to Colombia to Play for Millonarios de Bogotá 

Colombia's Radamel Falcao celebrates after scoring against Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny during the group H match at the soccer World Cup at Kazan Arena in Kazan, Russia, June 24, 2018. (AP)
Colombia's Radamel Falcao celebrates after scoring against Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny during the group H match at the soccer World Cup at Kazan Arena in Kazan, Russia, June 24, 2018. (AP)
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After Nearly 25 Years Away, Falcao Returns Home to Colombia to Play for Millonarios de Bogotá 

Colombia's Radamel Falcao celebrates after scoring against Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny during the group H match at the soccer World Cup at Kazan Arena in Kazan, Russia, June 24, 2018. (AP)
Colombia's Radamel Falcao celebrates after scoring against Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny during the group H match at the soccer World Cup at Kazan Arena in Kazan, Russia, June 24, 2018. (AP)

After nearly 25 years away, Radamel Falcao is coming back home to Colombia. The 38-year-old striker will play for Millonarios de Bogotá next season, the team announced on Thursday.

Falcao, who played for Chelsea, Manchester United and Atletico Madrid among other clubs in a 15-year career in Europe, has not played in Colombia since 2000, when he did it with Lanceros Boyacá, a second-division club.

With Atletico de Madrid he won the Europa League title in the 2011-12 season.

“Everybody knows that Millonarios is the team of my heart,” Falcao said in a video recording.

Falcao, who is Colombia’s all-time scoring leader with 36 goals, arrives to Millonarios after spending three seasons with Rayo Vallecano, in Spain, where he scored 12 goals in 80 matches.

Falcao, who will play in Colombia’s top flight for the first time in his career, signed a six-month contract, the team announced. Millonarios will play against River Plate in Argentina on July 9th, although it’s unclear if Falcao will be able to play in that match.

Falcao played four seasons with River Plate before signing with Porto for the 2009 season. In Portugal he won two league titles and the Europa League.

He also played for Monaco and Galatasaray.



Verstappen Takes Pole Position Again for Austrian GP

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car during the qualifying session for the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring racetrack in Spielberg, Austria, Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car during the qualifying session for the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring racetrack in Spielberg, Austria, Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
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Verstappen Takes Pole Position Again for Austrian GP

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car during the qualifying session for the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring racetrack in Spielberg, Austria, Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car during the qualifying session for the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring racetrack in Spielberg, Austria, Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

Max Verstappen followed up his victory in the sprint race with another dominant performance in qualifying for Formula 1’s Austrian Grand Prix on Saturday to take pole position for the fourth straight year at the Red Bull Ring.

Verstappen clocked 1 minute, 4.314 seconds with his final attempt in the third qualifying session to beat McLaren’s Lando Norris by 0.404 seconds and take his eighth pole of the season, The Associated Press reported. Norris’ teammate Oscar Piastri was initially 0.472 seconds back in third but had his time deleted for narrowly going outside track limits, pushing him down to seventh place and lifting George Russell of Mercedes into third.

Carlos Sainz Jr. of Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes rounded out the top five.

Verstappen won the sprint race earlier Saturday ahead of Piastri and Norris to extend his lead in the overall standings to 71 points. The defending champion is looking for his eighth race win of the season and fifth in seven years at Red Bull's home circuit.