Colombian footballer Luis Daz has been reunited with his father, Luis Manuel Daz, who was released by insurgents after being held prisoner for 12 days.
The Liverpool striker and his father sobbed as they hugged for the first time since the kidnapping.
The kidnapping of Luis Manuel Daz by the National Liberation Army (ELN) sparked indignation in Colombia and around the world.
The ELN claimed responsibility for kidnapping the 58-year-old and his wife for ransom.
As police moved in, the group promptly released his wife, Cilenis Marulanda, but at gunpoint led the amateur football coach into the neighboring mountains.
The abduction of the popular coach was termed as a “mistake” by the ELN leader, but he emphasized that kidnappings for ransom are not a violation of the truce reached earlier this year.
Last Thursday, the guerilla group handed over Luis Manuel Daz to United Nations and Catholic Church officials.
He was reunited with his wife and other family members later that day, but it wasn’t until recently that he was allowed to embrace his footballer star son.
Luis Daz has flown to Colombia to train with the national squad before of Thursday’s World Cup qualifier against Brazil.
While his father was being imprisoned by the insurgents, the footballer missed two Liverpool games, but came off the bench against Luton Town on November 5.
After scoring in stoppage time, he lifted his Liverpool shirt to reveal a T-shirt with the slogan “freedom for papa” below.
