Captive Audience: On the Kidnapping of Jorge Valdivia

When Palmeiras midfielder Jorge Valdivia and his wife were kidnapped in June, the reaction in Brazil was bizarrely mixed. Whilst the vast majority expressed their sympathy with the player and his family, a vocal few bought into the notion that the Chilean had invented the incident in order to facilitate a move a way from Brazil. He wouldn't be the first to attempt such a deception: then-Botafogo defender Somália was proven to have lied to police over a similar claim in 2011. 

I've written an article about the Valdivia case - and the issue of kidnapping in Brazilian football more generally - for the latest issue of When Saturday Comes. The magazine is available at all good (and probably some mediocre) newsagents. Alternatively, you can purchase a digital edition or subscribe to the WSC iPhone/iPad app.