Liverpool's Luis Diaz scored both goals on Thursday night as Colombia beat Brazil 2-1, with his father watching on from the stands a week after being freed by his kidnappers.
Luis Manuel Diaz, 58, was held hostage in Colombia for 12 days by a guerrilla group, the National Liberation Army, before being released on November 9.
Cilenis Marulanda, the Liverpool forward’s mother, was also kidnapped but was released quickly as the Colombian police moved in.
Diaz continued to play for Liverpool while his father was being held hostage, and scored against Luton in the Premier League on September 5, revealing an under-shirt which read ‘Freedom for Papa.’
Moment of the day 🥹
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 17, 2023
Luis Diaz's father celebrating his son's two match-winning goals against Brazil! ❤️pic.twitter.com/8SST0NqR93
Video footage on Tuesday showed Diaz and his father embracing as they were reunited for the first time since the kidnapping, and Luis Manuel Diaz was in attendance on Thursday night at the Estadio Metropolitano in Barranquilla as his son faced Brazil in an important 2026 World Cup qualifier.
The opening goal by Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli was cancelled out by two late strikes from Diaz, who scored in the 75th and 79th minute to lift Colombia above Brazil and into third place in the South American qualification table after five games apiece.
Diaz said afterwards: “Life makes you strong and brave, and I think that’s football, and not just football but life.
“I’m grateful to my team-mates, to the coaching staff who were always there for me at every moment, and I dedicate the victory to the people who deserved it.”
