An Argentine who was abducted in Nigeria owes
his life to footballing superstar Lionel Messi, after chanting his compatriot’s
name to calm his violent captors, as revealed by Goal.
Santiago Lopez
Menendez, an agricultural engineer, had been working in Nigeria since last
year, planting soya and corn crops in the north-west region of the country,
close to the major town of Kontagora.
Earlier this
week, the 28-year-old was kidnapped by a group of men and, thinking he was
North American and barely speaking English, they violently attacked their
victim.
But, in a
desperate effort to quell his kidnappers, Menendez tried to tell them he was
from Argentina and when they ignored him, he proceeded to shout repeated chants
of “Messi, Messi, Messi”.
Menendez was
held by his kidnappers for three days and was eventually freed after the
company he works for paid a ransom fee to his captors, which has not been
disclosed.
Speaking to
the media in Argentina, his brother Jorge has said: “Tell them I am grateful to
Messi”, he told me. “Naming him is what saved me.’”
Santiago is
now safe and sound and will return to his homeland shortly. Lionel Messi now
serves two important functions – to dazzle the footballing world and rescue
others in their time of need.
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