FIFA sends ‘support and prayers’ to Luis Diaz as search for his father continues
By Mark Walker, PA
FIFA has sent its “support and prayers” to Liverpool forward Luis Diaz following the kidnapping of his parents in Colombia.
It has been confirmed that Diaz’s mother has been rescued and, after the player returned home to be with family members, the Colombian authorities have stepped up their search for his father.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said on Instagram: “On behalf of FIFA and the global football community, I would like to extend our support and prayers to Luis Diaz, his family and his friends in these difficult times.”
The Colombia football federation (FCF) has also issued a further statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, demanding that those holding Diaz’s father release him immediately without conditions.
The FCF said: “We ask the captors of Luis Manuel Díaz, father of @LuisFDiaz19, to release him now, without conditions. Football is peace. Lucho, we are with you. Colombia is with you.”
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said after Sunday’s 3-0 home win against Nottingham Forest that preparing for the game had been “the most difficult I’ve ever had in my life”.
Klopp added: “I didn’t expect that, I wasn’t prepared for it.
“I don’t want to make the game bigger than it was, but definitely, we tried to help Luis with the fight we put in because obviously we want to help and we cannot really help.
“So the only thing we can do is fight for him and that’s what the boys did.”
Liverpool secured their fifth straight home Premier League win to move three points behind leaders Tottenham.
But Klopp said: “How can you make a football game really important on a day like this? It’s really difficult. I’ve never struggled with that in my life.
“We heard late last night about it. We spoke to Luis, he wanted to go home…Then we got the news with his mum, which is fantastic, and since then nothing really.
“We are obviously the first people to get involved and we try to have knowledge of everything as much as we can, but we don’t want to disturb in any way the important people there, we just want to support, that’s it.”
Liverpool said in a statement: “Liverpool Football Club can confirm it is aware of an ongoing situation involving the family of Luis Diaz in Colombia.
“It is our fervent hope that the matter is resolved safely and at the earliest possible opportunity. In the meantime, the player’s welfare will continue to be our immediate priority.”
Colombia’s president Gustavo Petro said on X: “In an operation in Barrancas, Luis Diaz’s mother has been rescued, we continue the search for the father.”
Liverpool signed Diaz from Porto in January 2022 in an initial £37.5million deal that included a potential extra £12.5million in add-ons.
The 26-year-old winger has made 11 appearances this season and scored three goals.
Diaz was an unused substitute for Thursday’s 5-1 Europa League win against Toulouse after starting the Premier League victory over Everton last weekend, but was not in the 18-strong squad for Forest’s visit to Anfield.