The parents of Liverpool winger have been kidnapped, according to reports.
Police and the army conducted a thorough search of the star’s parents after they were taken into custody in La Guajira, Colombia.
Two armed men approached the 26-year-old’s parents at a gas station in Barrancas, the town where they were raised, W Radio reported.
General William Salamanca, head of police, began a frantic search for Luis Manuel Díaz and Cilenis Marulanda.
Cilenis was reportedly discovered safe and placed under police protection, according to later reports.
However, after a massive search by the Colombian army, the footballer’s father remained gone.
It is believed that on Saturday, Diaz’s parents drove a van they owned to the Los Olivos neighborhood.
There hasn’t been an official confirmation of stories that claim there was a gunfight.
According to reports, the police sealed off the town as part of a “Padlock Plan”.
“I reject and condemn the kidnapping of Luis Diaz’s parents, Luis Manuel Díaz and Cilenis Marulanda, in the events that occurred in Barrancas today,” stated La Guajira governor Diala Wilches in a statement.
“I have instructed the authorities to carry out the rescue right away and keep in constant contact with Colonel Montaña, the commander of the La Guajira department.”
“To the kidnappers, we demand that they be returned immediately, safe and sound.”
In an announcement on X, the previous Twitter platform, the army stated: “Army troops support the search operation for the parents of soccer player Luis Díaz, who are apparently victims of kidnapping.”
The most prominent player in Colombia, Diaz has made 43 appearances for the national team and scored nine goals.
The Liverpool star’s father had previously disclosed that he had a medical condition that led to his losing an unhealthy amount of weight.
The cunning winger’s transformation from “chubby” to incredibly thin might have endedangerd his life.
The largest indigenous community in Colombia is located in the region where Diaz was born and raised.
When he was little, Diaz’s nickname was Fideo, which means “Noodle.”
A “clumsy, malnourished” teenager showed up for a trial for a youth squad comprised of athletes from Colombia’s indigenous villages, according to coach John Diaz (no relation).
However, scouts, including Colombian star Carlos Valderrama, were pleased by the young player’s abilities.
Diaz’s career took off after he scored seven goals at the 2015 Copa Sudamericana de Pueblos Indigenas.
