Luis Diaz dedicates his Carabao Cup success to ‘Mum and Dad’ as they watch the Liverpool star triumph at Wembley… and insists it’s ‘special to celebrate’ with his parents after their kidnapping in Colombia last year

Liverpool star Luis Diaz dedicated his team’s success in the Carabao Cup to his parents, who were present at Wembley.

Diaz played the entire match as Liverpool triumphed with a 1-0 win over Chelsea in extra time, with Virgil van Dijk scoring a late winner.

In October last year, Diaz’s parents were kidnapped by armed men on motorcycles at a gas station in Colombia.

His mother Cilenis Marulanda was rescued hours later, but Diaz’s father Luis Manuel “Mane” Diaz was not released until almost two weeks later.

Diaz stated that it was a special occasion to celebrate Liverpool’s Carabao Cup success with his parents.

Diaz (L) with his mother Cilenis Marulanda (C) and his father Luis Manuel ‘Mane’ Diaz (R)

Diaz told Sky Sports: “It was a very tough match and this is the way big games are played. It was very physical and we were very tired at the end, but we were able to get the result and I knew we could get it.

‘We have had a year with many competitions, but we have prepared ourselves so much. We had prepared well and knew it would go like this.

Commenting on his parents, Diaz said: ‘I dedicate this title to my father and mother (who are at Wembley). Despite everything they’ve been through, it makes it so much more special to celebrate with my family.”

Diaz’s father was taken into the hands of a humanitarian commission made up of the Catholic Church and the UN.

A huge search took place in an attempt to find Diaz’s father, with a reward of around £40,000 offered for information.

It is the second time Diaz has won the Carabao Cup with Liverpool, having also been involved in the 2022 success against Chelsea.

Diaz’s father Luis Manuel “Mane” Diaz was released almost two weeks after being kidnapped by gunmen in Colombia last year