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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)
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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.

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No. 1 Iga Swiatek Parts Ways with Coach after 3 Trophy-laden Years Together

FILE - Poland's Iga Swiatek and her coach Tomasz Wiktorowski hold the trophy after Swiatek won the women's final of the French Open tennis tournament against Italy's Jasmine Paolini at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France, Saturday, June 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)
FILE - Poland's Iga Swiatek and her coach Tomasz Wiktorowski hold the trophy after Swiatek won the women's final of the French Open tennis tournament against Italy's Jasmine Paolini at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France, Saturday, June 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)
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No. 1 Iga Swiatek Parts Ways with Coach after 3 Trophy-laden Years Together

FILE - Poland's Iga Swiatek and her coach Tomasz Wiktorowski hold the trophy after Swiatek won the women's final of the French Open tennis tournament against Italy's Jasmine Paolini at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France, Saturday, June 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)
FILE - Poland's Iga Swiatek and her coach Tomasz Wiktorowski hold the trophy after Swiatek won the women's final of the French Open tennis tournament against Italy's Jasmine Paolini at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France, Saturday, June 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)

Top-ranked Iga Swiatek is separating from her coach Tomasz Wiktorowski.
The Polish tennis player announced the split Friday, saying the decision was taken together.
During the three years Swiatek worked with Wiktorowski, the Polish player won four of her five Grand Slam titles and rose to the top of the women’s rankings.
“After 3 years of the greatest achievements in my career, together with my coach Tomasz Wiktorowski we decided to part way,” Swiatek wrote in a post on Instagram. “I want to start with a big thank you and appreciating our work together.”
Swiatek appointed Wiktorowski as coach at the end of the 2021 season. He helped her capture 19 of her 22 career titles and an Olympic bronze medal in Paris in August.
“Coach Wiktorowski joined my team for three seasons, when I strongly needed changes and a fresh approach to my game,” Swiatek continued. “His experience, analytical and strategic attitude and enormous knowledge about tennis helped us to achieve things I’ve never dreamed of only a few months after we started working together.
“Our main goal was to become No. 1 player in the world and coach Wiktorowski was the one who said it first," The Associated Press quoted her as saying.
Swiatek hasn’t competed since losing to Jessica Pegula in the quarterfinals of the US Open.
She withdrew from this week’s China Open in Beijing — where she would have been defending champion — citing personal reasons. The 23-year-old Swiatek also pulled out of the recent Korea Open in Seoul, citing fatigue.
“Due to this important change on my team, I give myself a couple of weeks to start a cooperation with a new coach,” Swiatek wrote. “I’m in the middle of first talks with coaches from abroad (non-Polish) because I’m ready to take the next step of my career. I will let you know when I make a decision.”
Wiktorowski was voted the WTA’s Coach of the Year by his peers last year.
“Coach, THANK YOU, I wish you all the best,” Swiatek wrote. “I know that you would like to rest after these 3 years of hard work and traveling a lot and spending some well-deserved time with your loved ones and I hope you’ll get what you need.”