says his dramatic goal for Liverpool against Town was ‘for the freedom of my father and all the kidnapped in my country’.
for the first time since his parents were kidnapped in his native Colombia last weekend, with his father still being held captive.
His return proved vital for the Reds as after Tahith Chong had given the minnows a shock lead at Kenilworth Road.
As he celebrated, Diaz lifted up his shirt to reveal a message on his undershirt that read: ‘Freedom for my father’.
Post-match, the 26-year-old posted the following, emotional statement on Instagram:
‘Today the soccer player is not speaking to you, today Lucho Diaz, the son of Luis Manuel Diaz, is speaking to you. Mane my dad, he is a tireless worker, our pillar in the family and he has been kidnapped.
‘I ask the ELN for the prompt release of my father, and I ask international organisations 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, it will only end when we get him back home.
‘I beg you to release him immediately, respecting his integrity and ending this as soon as possible, this painful wait. In the name of love and compassion, we ask that you reconsider your actions and allow us to recover him.
‘I thank Colombians and the international community for the support received, thank you for so many demonstrations of affection and solidarity in this difficult time that many families in my country find themselves living.’
It was accompanied by the caption: ‘This goal is for the freedom of my father and all the kidnapped in my country. Thank you all for your support.’
Ahead of kick-off, Klopp confirmed that Diaz himself had decided to return having been back in training during the week.
‘A wonderful moment but it doesn’t change the situation. Most important thing is that his father gets released,’ the manager told Sky Sports post-match.
‘It is wonderful he wanted to be here. That’s it, for us a super important goal and for him very important and emotional, but that’s it.’
‘He can always do that [play an important part in a game]. When he is on the pitch he is always involved in special things.
‘We knew he would be a threat, we didn’t know how long he would play because he only had a few sessions with the team but that is not the most important part today. He scored the goal but we need to see some improvement in Colombia.’
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson added: ‘It says a lot about his [Diaz’s] character and inner strength. I can’t imagine what he’s going through.
‘We’re supporting him and feeling his pain but for him it’s a different level. Football can bring joy to someone who is struggling. Football is bringing joy to Luis at this moment.
‘He scored a fantastic goal for us which was really important. When you’re on the pitch you focus on the job. He did it for us.’
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