Colombia's star striker Radamel Falcao has had surgery on a cruciate ligament injury and could be fit in time for this summer's World Cup in Brazil, according to the doctor who performed the operation.

The 27-year-old came off in Monaco's Coupe de France game against Monts d'Or Azergues and there were immediate fears that he would miss the World Cup.

However, the Portuguese doctor who performed the operation on Saturday said that "there's a possibility of him going" to the tournament in June, reports The AP.

Jose Carlos Noronha told reporters at the hospital in Porto, Portugal, that "it's not out of the question" and gave Falcao a better than 50% chance of making it to Brazil.