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CAUGHT IN A real-life win-or-lose challenge, Mexican footballer Alan Pulido overpowered a kidnapper, freed himself and then called police for help.
The story shows how dangerous Pulido’s home state of Tamaulipas is. Stretching south from Mexico’s border with southern Texas, Tamaulipas has long been plagued by warring drug cartels and ineffectual police.
Indeed, Pulido’s biggest worry was that police officers sent to his rescue might shoot him.
“He is asking that we tell the police that the caller is alone, with the kidnapper, don’t confuse him with the kidnapper,” according to a police report describing his 911 call obtained by The Associated Press.
“They are shooting into the house, don’t get him by accident.”
Pulido had been abducted late on Saturday by four gunmen, then about 24 hours later he found himself alone with one of his captors and saw his chance.
Listed at 5-foot-9 and about 68 kilos, Pulido wrestled away the man’s pistol, beat him into submission and used his phone to call Mexico’s emergency number.
The 25-year-old, who is a forward for Olympiakos in the Greek league and has played for Mexico’s national team, was in a locked house and didn’t know where he was in the Tamaulipas capital city, Ciudad Victoria. So he threatened and beat his captor while on the phone, demanding to be told where they were.
During his first call, Pulido peered out of a window and described the white two-story house with two cars, grey and red, parked in front.
In the next call, Pulido told the operator that state police had arrived outside. The operator told him to fire the pistol so they would know they were in the right spot, but Pulido said he had no bullets. He said police themselves were starting to shoot and described his shorts and tank top so they wouldn’t confuse him with the now-unconscious captor.
Once police arrived, Pulido made a third call to confirm with the operator that they were trustworthy.
The abductors grabbed Pulido as he was returning from a party about 11.30pm on Saturday. His girlfriend was not taken and alerted others. Pulido’s family received the first ransom call around 1.30pm on Sunday and a second one a short time later, Quintanilla said.
Pulido, who hurt his hand breaking a window, made a brief appearance before reporters, but responded only to a question about how he was: “Very well, thank God.”
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John Terry is comforting his traumatised girlfriend.
Fair play
He was certainly on the ball given the situation. We’ll done!
*well
Lucky he wasn’t killed. By the kidnapper or the police
Kind of player arsenal need
Hahaha!
Comment of the day already.
He would probably have needed to send a tweet with a photo to fit in at arsenal though!
‘Once police arrived, Pulido made a third call to confirm with the operator that they were trustworthy.’
Thank God we have a trustworthy police service here in Ireland.
Anyway.
Bravo to Pulido.
If I was him I’d be leaving Mexico pronto and finding a more secure place to live.
The police started firing before anyone started firing at them? That’s scary!
He the man. Couldn’t see for example Stephen Ireland doing this if he was snatched from his pink range rover
He’d be on his way to a funeral tbf
He should think of a move to the UFC
This is what the Premier League needs….someone with a pair of bolloxs
That’s 4 festivals…..!
TESTICALS! ….. 4 TESTICALS!!!!
Gardai have asked him to come to Ireland and teach the ‘Paulido technique’ to vulnerable and old people who are worried about crime.
it would be interesting to see does he throw himself on the ground and roll in agony on the field at the slightest touch? fair play to him in that situation.
*this situation
Proper order. Hope the s(umbag kidnapper was beaten to a pulp. No more than he deserves.
have your say