He won three Brazilian Championships in the 70s with his first club, Internacional, in Rio, then signed a multi-million dollar deal with Italian giants AS Roma in 1980.
During his time in Italy, he helped Roma win the Scudetto in 1983 and led the side to the European Cup final, where they lost to Liverpool on penalties.
Despite success at club level, it was in the famous gold shirt of Brazil where Falcao excelled as part of the galaxy of stars in the Brazil midfield.
In Espana '82, Falcao scored three goals from midfield as Brazil cruised to the latter stages before going out in a classic match with Italy. That match provided most fans' abiding memory of Falcao, with the television pictures of him running screaming towards the bench after scoring a 25-yard thunderbolt past Dino Zoff.
Sadly his goal wasn't enough to help his side through to the final - but he will be remembered as one of the stars of one of the World Cup's all-time great sides.