Falcão caught up with FIFA.com moments after The Best FIFA Football Awards to give his thoughts on being the 2016 recipient of the FIFA Award for an Outstanding Career.

“It is beyond special. I can say that it is the most special moment of my career because it is the perfect ending to it, to everything that I have done. As the award title says, it is a recognition to a whole career. So I am happy to look back and to see that it was all worth it, and to do so with my kids next to me, in an evening that is all about football. It is a most special date.

“I had no idea. I thought I would leave the car at the entrance of the hall and go unnoticed. But all of a sudden, I come in and I even see some footballers staring at me. It was the case with [Luka] Modric, for example: he looked at me, looked again and asked if it was really me. I said I was and he gave me a big hug. I had the same kind of reaction from several players. This is the greatest trophy of all: to get this kind of recognition on football’s main stage. And that when coming from a sport that, although it is related to football, is nowhere close to being as popular. The evening of 9 January [2017] will remain forever with me.”

FIFA Award for an Outstanding Career 2016 recipient, Falcao