The search continues for the Liverpool player's father, Luis Manuel Diaz, who was kidnapped last week alongside his wife by armed men on motorcycles.

The winger's mother, Cilenis Marulanda was released hours after the initial kidnapping but police are still trying to locate Manuel Diaz.

The Colombian government are currently in peace talks with the ELN amid a conflict that has persisted for almost 60 years.

Government representative Otty Patino said that the revelation that the group were behind the kidnapping emerged during negotiations.

A statemet read: "Today we have officially learned that the kidnapping carried out on October 28, in Barrancas, department of La Guajira, of which Luis Manuel Diaz and Cilenis Marulanda, father and mother of the soccer player Luis Fernando, were victims Diaz Marulanda, was perpetrated by a unit belonging to the ELN.

"Although Mrs. Marulanda was released a few hours later, the player's father has been kidnapped for five days. As a delegation of the National Government for peace talks with the ELN, we express all our solidarity with Luis Diaz, his family, with the entire country and with the millions of followers of the player in the world.

"We demand that the ELN immediately release Mr. Luis Manuel Diaz, and we remind him that it is his entire responsibility to guarantee his life and integrity."

Police have already made an arrest in the case, believing to have detained the man responsible for tracking the pair and informing the group of their whereabouts.

Authorities have offered a 200 million peso (£40,000/$49,000) reward for information about the kidnapping as they feared the culprits would attempt to smuggle Luis Manuel into Venezuela.

The case has caused an uproar in town of Barrancas, La Guajira, where Luis Manuel is a respected figure.

Citizens from the area had a candle-lit march calling for his release, with many wearing white t-shirts that depicted a picture of the kidnapping victim.