John Elway MVPing Super Bowl XXXIII in Miami, Ray Borque extraordinarily lifting his first Stanley Cup in Denver, Pete Sampras conquering a record 14th major in Flushing Meadows, Michael Phelps freestyling to a 23rd Olympic Gold in Rio de Janeiro… sport has seen some fairy-tale farewells. Falcao’s for Brazil tops them all on the fantasy barometer.

After his last kick at the FIFA Futsal World Cup™ in 2016 – he was unforgettably paraded atop of the IR Iran players to whom Brazil had lost on penalties – he boldly bullseyed becoming the first player to reach 400 international goals. When Falcao and Brazil were mentioned together over the next two years, so too was that quest.

The Paulista had announced he would stop wearing canary-yellow to work at the end of 2018, but when he moved on to 399 goals that September, it seemed all but certain his dart would crash into the board’s centre. A look at the Seleção fixture list, after all, told you he would have four throws at it. Falcao drew a blank in the first of those against Argentina. Then another. Left was a double-header against Paraguay arranged for his farewell – the first game in Jaragua do Sul and the second in Tubarao.

Falcao, however, announced the former would serve as his farewell. He was willing to risk remaining on 399, and be eternally itched by its unfulfillment, in order to play his last game in a jersey he loved in a venue he loved. Despite pleas for him to reconsider, Falcao insisted his last appearance would come five years ago today at the Arena Jaragua.

Two minutes and 31 seconds in, his spiritual temple erupted. Falcao not only scored his 400th goal for Brazil, but he did it with a breathtaking back-heel. In scenes reminiscent of when ‘The King of Football’ Pele scored his 1,000th career goal at the Maracana, the game stopped for a long time as ‘The King of Futsal’ was mobbed and given a shirt with 400 on the back to parade to his worshipping public.

Falcao finished the game on 401, another golazo putting Brazil 3-2 up en route to victory. The Jaragua do Sul venue finished it, despite full protection from its roof, finished it wet. Professional players, adult supporters and children were in tears synchronously.

Falcao chats to FIFA about that unforgettable day, retirement, winning the world title with facial paralysis in 2012, Ricardinho and Uzbekistan 2024.