MEXICAN police have rescued kidnapped footballer Alan Pulido, who appeared with a bandaged hand at a brief press conference to declare that he is fine.
Police and other officials said Pulido, a 25-year-old forward with Greek club Olympiacos, was freed in a security operation shortly before midnight on Sunday in the north-east border state of Tamaulipas. Pulido had been seized by gunmen as he left a party on Saturday night.
In the early hours of Monday, Pulido appeared outside state police offices wearing shorts and a tank top with a bandaged right hand alongside Tamaulipas governor Egidio Torre Cantu.
When reporters asked him how he is, Pulido replied: "Very well, thank God."
Mr Torre Cantu said: "The most important thing is that he is here. He is with us."
Pulido declined to answer any other questions and was then driven away.
Mexican Federal Police Commissioner Enrique Galindo said in an interview on Radio Formula there was no violence in the rescue, though Pulido did have a minor injury.
Mr Galindo said authorities believe the kidnappers were motivated solely by the potential financial gain, thinking they could get a good ransom for a famous player.
He said they was a negotiation, presumably a ransom demand from kidnappers, but "a ransom was not paid".
The Tamaulipas security coordination group said in a statement earlier on Monday that the rescue involved state and federal forces.
State police spokesman Evaristo Gutierrez said one suspect was arrested.
Pulido, a member of Mexico's 2014 World Cup squad, was kidnapped outside his home town of Ciudad Victoria.
His Greek club expressed relief over his safe escape from the kidnappers.
"Alan is safe and sound with his family. We thank everyone for their concern and prayers during the difficult moments he has lived," Olympiakos said on its Twitter page.
The kidnapping happened one week before scheduled elections for a new governor. Tamaulipas, which borders Texas, has been plagued with violence in recent years as the Gulf and Zetas drug cartels battle for control. Both organisations are also involved in theft, extortion and kidnappings.
