Falcao could still play in the 2014 World Cup according to the doctor that operated on the superstar.

According to ESPN, Portuguese doctor Jose Carlos Noronha told reporters that "it's not out of the question." He even noted that the striker had a 50-50 chance of playing the tournament.

"It went well," Noronha added. "The light at the end of the tunnel isn't small."

Falcao suffered an ACL injury on Wednesday and was immediately ruled out of the World Cup this summer. The news was difficult for Colombians to take for a number of reasons. This is the first World Cup tournament that the nation has participated in since 1998; it also represents the first World Cup that Falcao would get a chance to play in. At age 27, the striker would be on the wrong side of 30 by the time the next World Cup comes up. Furthermore, most of the team is in its prime right now and would be over 30 in four years; with Brazil participating in qualifiers, there is no guarantee that Colombia would be a shoe-in for the next tournament.

Noronha noted that Falcao would need about three-and-a-half months in order to evaluate whether he would be able to play for Colombia in the tournament.

Falcao is tied for second-most goals in Colombia's history. He has 20 goals and is only five off the record.

Do you think that Falcao will play in the World Cup or is Noronha being overly optimistic?