In a startling revelation, Nigeria captain John Obi Mikel said he learnt that his father had been kidnapped just hours before he led Nigeria into their final World Cup group phase tie against Argentina.

"I played while my father was in the hands of bandits," Mikel was quoted as saying by The Guardian. "I had to suppress the trauma. I took a call four hours before kick-off to tell me what had happene." The former Chelsea midfielder got the news as he travelled on the team bus to the stadium here last week. According to the report, Mikel was asked to call the kidnappers on a designated number. On doing so, Mikel was asked to cough up a ransom.