Luis Diaz, the Liverpool FC star and Colombian international winger who joined the Reds last season from FC Porto, is a key figure in Jurgen Klopp’s lineup. A recent unfortunate incident has caused distress in his personal life, following the news of Diaz’s parents being kidnapped.
In Colombia, football and crime have become intertwined. Just a month ago, Edgar Paez, the president of the Colombian second-tier club Tigres FC, was shot dead on his way home near the club’s home stadium. Another tragic incident has emerged from South America, concerning Luis Diaz’s parents.
Who are Luis Diaz’s parents?
Luis Fernando Díaz Marulanda hails from a town called Barrancas in the heartland of Colombia’s largest indigenous community. The young prodigy was raised by his father Luis Manuel Díaz, and his mother Cilenis Marulanda.
The winger spent his early club career in his homeland, playing for Junior FC, before moving to Europe to join Portuguese giants Porto. He then signed for Liverpool in the Premier League. His parents have played a monumental role in shaping his professional career.
Diaz was born and raised in poverty amidst a challenging environment. He has emerged as Colombia’s brightest national team star within the past few years, eventually signing with one of the world’s biggest clubs, Liverpool FC.
In Liverpool’s last midweek fixture against the French side Toulouse in the UEFA Europa League, the 26-year-old did not play. He remained on the bench for the entire 90 minutes. It is unlikely that he will feature in tonight’s Premier League match following a recent disturbing piece of news involving his parents from Colombia.
What happened to Luis Diaz’s parents?
Reportedly, the parents of the Liverpool star have fallen victim to a kidnapping incident in the La Guajira region of Barrancas, Colombia. It is said that the couple was abducted by two gunmen on a motorcycle while they were driving home in their van after stopping at a filling station on Saturday.
In a recent development, Colombian President Gustavo Petro and the Colombian police confirmed that Cilenis Marulanda, the mother of Liverpool star Luis Diaz, had been successfully rescued and taken into police custody. Rescue operations to find Luis Diaz’s father, Luis Manuel Díaz, are still underway.
The Colombian FA has condemned the incident and urged authorities to search and rescue his father, in their statement. The Colombian Army has also been involved in the large-scale rescue operation in the La Guajira province, a northern region of Colombia. The player has not made any public comments on the incident.
