Alan Pulido: Mexico and Olympiacos footballer kidnapped 'by six armed men'

'He disappeared in the morning and we [are trying to] support the governor. We are waiting to see what happens'

Alan Pulido of Olympiacos in action during pre season in July 2015 (Getty Images)

The Olympiacos and Mexico striker Alan Pulido has been kidnapped by gunmen in the north of the country, Mexican officials have confirmed.

The 25-year-old has not been seen since he left a party in the early hours of Sunday morning, which he had attended with his girlfriend in his home town of Ciudad Victoria in the northern border state of Tamaulipas.

State officials would only confirm the kidnap of Pulido, who made eight appearances for Olympiacos last season and has six caps for Mexico, in which he has scored four goals.

But his brother, Armando, told the Mexican news outlet Medio Tiempo: "Yes, it is true.

"He disappeared in the morning and we [are trying to] support the governor. We are waiting to see what happens."

Milenio TV, a 24-hour rolling news channel, also quoted an unnamed official as saying Pulido had been kidnapped.

According to local media reports, Pulido left the party with his girlfriend at around 11.30pm local time.

Several trucks are said to have surrounded the footballer's car before six masked gunmen released his girlfriend and took him away by force.

Pulido began his professional footballing career at Tigres, in the state of Nuevo Leon which neighbours Tamaulipas.

He caught the eye of international scouts at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, however, and that summer joined the Greek side Levadiakos for a brief spell.

In July 2015, Olympiacos signed the striker for an undisclosed fee, despite a legal row with Guadalajara FC, who claimed to have purchased 50 per cent of his playing rights in the Mexican league's annual draft.

Pulido eventually made his competitive debut for Olympiacos in January this year, scoring in a 6-0 win. He has since scored five goals in 500 minutes, helping his side to win the Greek Super League by 30 points.