The father of Liverpool attacker Luis Diaz has been released by his kidnappers after 12 days, the Colombian Football Federation has announced.
On October 28, Luis Manuel Diaz and his wife Cilenis Marulanda were taken at gunpoint at a petrol station in their hometown of Barrancas, sparking a wide-scale search for their captors.
Marulanda - Diaz's mother - was found safe and rescued a few hours later, but Manuel Diaz continued to be held hostage by his kidnappers, who were revealed to be members of the National Liberation Army - a left-wing guerrilla group also known as the ELN.
Diaz was due to represent Liverpool in a Premier League clash with Nottingham Forest a day after the kidnappings, but the former Porto man left the team hotel after hearing of his parents' terrifying ordeal, and Diogo Jota held up his teammate's jersey in support after opening the scoring.
Diaz also missed last week's EFL Cup victory over Bournemouth as the authorities continued to search for his father, whom the ELN confirmed they would be releasing earlier this month.
© Reuters
Following the kidnappers' announcement, Diaz returned to the Liverpool squad for their most recent Premier League encounter with Luton Town, where he came off the bench to rescue a point for the Reds in injury time.
After heading home the equaliser in a 1-1 draw, the 26-year-old lifted up his shirt to reveal a message which read "Libertad Para Papa", translating to "Freedom for Dad".
Diaz also issued a public plea to the kidnappers to free his father after the contest at Kenilworth Road, but the ELN said that they were waiting for "security guarantees" before releasing him.
In response to the guerrilla group's statement, the Colombian government toned down military operations in the search for Manuel Diaz, and the country's national football federation have now announced the reassuring news that he has been freed.
"The Colombian Football Federation thanks the National Government, the Military Forces and the National Police, as well as all the institutions and officials that made the release of Luís Manuel Díaz, father of our player Luís Díaz, possible," the FCF said in a statement.
La Federación Colombiana de Fútbol agradece al Gobierno Nacional, a las Fuerzas Militares y de Policía Nacional, así como a todas las instituciones y funcionarios que hicieron posible la liberación de Luis Manuel Díaz, padre de nuestro jugador @LuisFDiaz19.
— Selección Colombia (@FCFSeleccionCol) November 9, 2023
🔗... pic.twitter.com/sWuheyO2bR
"Football as a sporting discipline symbolizes talent, dedication, teamwork and the intrinsic values of human beings. In Colombia it must continue to be a benchmark for entertainment, healthy competition, unity and joy.
"Therefore, we insist on the need to maintain this activity, as well as those who are involved in it, in the sporting and administrative part and their families, outside of any scenario other than sports.
"Behind a ball, the dreams and illusions of boys and girls, young people, women, men and adult soccer players, their loved ones and an entire country roll. Football is passion in peace. Let no one ever think of attacking that reality again!"
In the wake of his father's release, Diaz has been named in the starting lineup for Liverpool's Europa League clash with Toulouse in Group E, where a win could seal the Reds' place in the last 16 with two games to spare.
Ben Knapton
