Mexican attacker was already kidnapped and fought against cartel member

Alan Pulido, former striker for the Mexico National Team, represented the team at the 2014 World Cup. Two years later, in 2016, he was surprised to be kidnapped after going to a party with his girlfriend.

At the time, playing for Olympiacos, Alan Pulido was taken to a notoriously violent city in Mexico due to cartel activity, in Ciudad Victoria, in the state of Tamaulipas.

At the time, he made a call to his family, who were asked to deposit 6,000,000 Mexican pesos, which is currently equivalent to R$1,788,000, so that the criminals could release him.

However, about 24 hours after the kidnapping began, Alan Pulido managed to attack a cartel member and take his cell phone to call for help. His right hand was injured when he broke a glass during his escape, according to reports from the player himself over the phone to Mexican radio Imagen, according to a CNN report.

The player was rescued in a city hall operation in conjunction with the federal government, said a statement from the Tamaulipas government at the time.

According to British newspaper The Sun, Mexican police arrested one of the kidnappers, while three others fled after Pulido managed to escape.

The center forward has had remarkable spells with Tigres and Chivas Guadalajara in Mexico, and with Sporting Kansas City in MLS. In 2025, he returned to Guadalajara, but had a breach of contract for undisciplinary reasons. He is currently without a club.

For the Mexican national team, he played in 20 matches and scored 5 goals, in addition to being the top scorer in the CONCACAF Pre-Olympic in 2012.

This Thursday, Mexico will kick off its World Cup against South Africa in Group A. The team enters the field under intense pressure to guarantee the victory that the fans are waiting for at the Azteca Stadium, the stage that hosts the tournament for the third time in history.

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Source: CNN