An African legend has revealed the time his dad was kidnapped just two hours before he played against Lionel Messi's Argentina at the FIFA World Cup.
Amid the kidnapping of Liverpool star Luis Diaz's father and the attempted kidnapping of Brazil talisman Neymar's daughter, former Chelsea and Nigeria star John Obi Mikel has opened up about a similarly traumatic experience.
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The retired midfielder has recalled the exact moment, two hours before the Super Eagles' last group-stage match at the 2018 World Cup, when he received the news that his father had been taken for the second time – Pa Michael Obi had previously been kidnapped in Nigeria before being safely returned following the payment of a hefty ransom.
However, the second time it happened "was even more shocking", according to Mikel.
"My dad got kidnapped while I was playing for the national team at the World Cup 2018 in Russia, and we were about to play against Argentina [in the final match of the group stage]," he told talkSPORT.
"Two hours before the game I got a phone call from my brother saying that my dad has been kidnapped for the second time in Nigeria.
"He was kidnapped for the first time and I spoke to the kidnappers and they demanded lots of money from me, which I did eventually pay before my dad got released.
"But the second time happened while I was playing for my country and I got this phone call from my brother saying that dad has been kidnapped again for the second time.
"That was absolutely shocking. The first time was shocking, but the second time was even more shocking because I was about to go into one of the biggest games of my life.
"Just knowing that my dad has been kidnapped again was absolutely heartbreaking.
"I couldn't leave the room. I couldn't tell anybody. I was alone in the room for about 30 minutes, thinking: 'What am I going to do? Shall I tell the manager? Shall I tell my teammates? Or should I make an announcement?'
"But we're about to go into the biggest game of our lives. We're about to play against Lionel Messi and Argentina.
"So I thought about it. I was like: 'OK, you know what? I'm going to keep quiet.'
"I called my mum and my brothers, everybody was crying on the phone. They were saying: 'No, you shouldn't go out and play because you're not going to be able to perform well.'
"I took time on my own and I decided that I'm going to go out there and perform. I'm going to go out there and play.
"So I didn't tell anybody. I went on the pitch and I played. Sadly, we didn't win the game and then after that I told everybody.
"In the dressing room, the manager and some of the players were almost in tears. They were saying: 'You should have told us, and you shouldn't have played.'"
The former Nigeria international went on to praise Liverpool on how well they have responded to Diaz's situation. He also shared how supportive Chelsea's then-owner Roman Abramovich was during the ordeal involving his own dad.
"I remember Roman [Abramovich] saying: 'Do you want me to send people over? Because I know if I send people over, I can get your dad out.'
"I was like: 'How are you going to do this?'
"He said: 'Don't worry about that. Just let me, if you want that option, I can do it.'
"And I'm happy to see that Liverpool are very supportive. I must give credit to Liverpool for what they're doing."
According to R7 newspaper via GOAL, the parents of Neymar's girlfriend, Bruna Bianciardi, were tied up by three armed robbers after their home was broken into on Tuesday.
It is reported that the assailants were looking for the Brazil international's daughter Mavie, with the intention to kidnap her.
However, neither he, his girlfriend nor their daughter were at home at the time of the incident.
One suspect has since been detained while the other two managed to escape with some of Bianciardi's possessions.
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Diaz's father, meanwhile, was kidnapped by guerrilla insurgency group The National Liberation Army of Colombia (ELN) last month. Both of his parents were nabbed by gunmen, with his mother being rescued by police just hours later.
His dad, however, is still in the clutches of the group.
After scoring a late equaliser against Luton Town on Sunday in his first game since the kidnapping occurred, Diaz displayed a shirt that read (translated from Spanish): "Freedom for dad".
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