Alan, a striker who has represented the Mexican national team and plays his club soccer in Greece for Olympiakos, was feared dead after it was reported 6 men carrying guns cut his auto off as he was driving on a highway in his hometown of Ciudad Victoria in the Tamaulipas state.
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The striker, who plays for Greek team Olympiakos, phoned police while his captors were distracted, officials said.
CIUDAD VICTORIA, Mexico (AP) Mexican police have rescued kidnapped soccer player Alan Pulido, who appeared with a bandaged hand at a brief press conference Monday to declare that he was fine.
Pulido was taken for medical and psychological review after his ordeal and then provided a statement to investigators.
“We thank each and everyone of you for your concern and prayers in these hard times”, Olympiakos said on Twitter after Pulido was rescued.
“I’m very well, thanks to God”, Pulido, looking visibly shaken, said in front of the media.
The Olympiacos forward was reportedly taken by a group of attackers after leaving a party in Ciudad Victoria in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The state of Tamaulipas is notorious for kidnappings and murders, with some roads so unsafe that police sometimes escort travelers in protective convoys.
Pulido-who was named in Mexico’s squad for the 2014 World Cup-began his career with UANL, before moving to Greek side Levadiakos.
No ransom was paid for his release.
More than 5,500 people have disappeared in the state, out of a total of around 28,000 reported missing across Mexico.
The kidnappers had demanded $325,000 (6 million pesos) from Pulido’s family for his safe return, but the athlete overpowered and beat one of his captors so badly that he had to be hospitalized. At that time, we said that if the details of the story were true, it would be a huge win for Mexican officials in the battle against the drug cartels.
He said: “There was an exchange of punches between them”.
Pulido had five goals in eight games for Olympiakos last season.
Mexican soccer player Alan Pulido fought his way to an escape after being kidnapped, prosecutor Ismael Quintanilla revealed Monday.
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Pulido joined the Greek side previous year and scored six goals in 15 games. Romano was rescued after 65 days of captivity.
