LUIS DIAZ paid tribute to his kidnapped father after his late equaliser against Luton.
Heading home in the 95th minute, he lifted his shirt to reveal the words ‘Libertad Para Papa’, ‘Freedom for my father’.
What happened to Luis Diaz’s dad?
Luis Manuel Díaz Jimenez, 58, was taken hostage at gunpoint alongside his wife on Saturday, October 28, at a petrol station in Colombia.
The footballer’s mother, Cilenis Marulanda, was rescued within hours by police – but Diaz’s father is yet to be found.
The Colombian government have said that the group Ejercito de Liberacion Nacional, known as ELN, are responsible for the kidnapping.
A representative of the group confirmed that they will release Diaz’s father imminently after they verified his relation to the Liverpool star.
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Colombian authorities have offered a reward of $200,000,000 Peso (£40,600) for any information that leads to Luis Manuel Diaz’s return.
The Liverpool star’s mum, Cilenis Marulanda, held back tears as she demanded her husband’s release.
Wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with her his face and the message ‘your family is waiting for you’, she told reporters: “I want them to release him now.
“That the people who are keeping him free him now back to me, because we want to have him back home.”
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What did Luis Diaz say in his official statement?
Following Luis Diaz’s late equaliser against Luton, he released the following statement on his father’s kidnapping, it read: “Today the footballer player is not speaking to you, today Lucho Diaz, the son of Luis Manuel Diaz, is speaking to you. My dad is a tireless worker, our pillar in the family and he is kidnapped.
“I ask the ELN for the prompt release of my dad, and I ask international organizations to intercede for his freedom. Every second, every minute, our anguish grows.
“My mother, my brothers and I are desperate, distressed and without words to describe what we are feeling. This suffering will only end when we have him back home.
“I beg you to release him immediately, respecting his integrity and ending this painful wait as soon as possible. In the name of love and compassion, we ask that you reconsider your actions and allow us to recover him.
“I thank the Colombians and the international community for the support received, thank you for so many demonstrations of love and solidarity in this difficult time that many families in my country find themselves living.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
