THE parents of Liverpool winger Luis Diaz have been kidnapped, according to reports.

Cops and the army were deployed in a massive search for the star’s mum and dad after they were seized in La Guajira, Colombia.

Luis Diaz with his mum CIlenis and dad Luis Manuel

New father Diaz got engaged to his girlfriend Gera Ponce in July this year

The 26-year-old’s parents were at a petrol station in their home town of Barrancas when they were approached by two armed me𝚗, according to W Radio.

A desperate search for Luis Manuel Díaz and Cilenis Marulanda was been launched by the director of police General William Salamanca.

Later it was reported Cilenis had been found safe and taken into police protection.

But the footballer’s dad was still missing amid a huge search involving Colombia’s army.

Diaz’s parents are thought to have been travelling to the Los Olivos neighbourhood in a van they owned on Saturday.

This is the car that Luis Diaz’s parents drove

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Motorcycles that followed Luis Diaz’s parents

Some reports suggest there was an exchange of gᴜnfire, although this has not been officially confirmed.

The cops are said to have initiated a so-called “Padlock Plan”, sealing off the town.

Diala Wilches, the governor of La Guajira, said in a statement: “I reject and condemn the kidnapping of the parents of Luis Diaz, Luis Manuel Díaz and Cilenis Marulanda, in events that occurred in Barrancas today.

“I have given instructions to the authorities to immediately implement the rescue and thereby maintain full communication with Colonel Montaña, commander of the department of La Guajira.

“To the kidnappers, we demand that they be returned immediately, safe and sound.”

The army said in a post on X, formerly Twitter: “Army troops support the search operation for the parents of soccer player Luis Díaz, who apparently are victims of kidnapping.”

Diaz is Colombia’s biggest star and has scored nine goals in 43 appearances for the national side.

His father previously revealed the Liverpool ace suffered from an illness which caused him to lose a dangerous amount of weight.

The tricky winger went from “chubby” to extremely skinny which could’ve cost him his life.

Diaz was born and raised in the heartland of Colombia’s largest indigenous community.

As a kid, Diaz was so skinny that his nickname was Fideo – “Noodle”.

Coach John Diaz (no relation) remembers a “clumsy, malnourished” teenager turning up to a trial for a youth team made up of players from Colombia’s indigenous communities.

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.

He was loaned by Atletico Junior to Barranquilla, where he was placed on a special diet in order to put on ten kg.

In 2019, Diaz traveled across the Atlantic to join Porto, and in January 2022, he moved to Liverpool.

It’s almost certain that the Liverpool star will be absent from today’s match.