06/24/2024
Luis Manuel Díaz, better known as “Mane” Díaz, is the father of soccer player Luis Díaz and a character recognized for his public appearances partying, dancing and singing his favorite genre, vallenato. It is not a coincidence that this is so, since according to sources close to the man, he comes from a Vallenato lineage.
To find out more: “Mane” Díaz returned to Colombia and told details of his kidnapping: he said that he trusted the friend who helped him to the ELN
It was the journalist Bonato Solano, friend of “Mane” from adolescence, who told the newspaper El Espectador that this character comes from a dynasty of the Díaz from the south of La Guajira.
“In this family, anyone who is not a musician is a soccer player,” says Bonato Solano.
For that same newspaper, his brother Yelkis confessed that together with Mane they were part of a Vallenata group in their homeland Barrancas, called “Juventud Vallenata”. The man demonstrated his talent for playing the guacharaca, being a backup singer and lead singer; many said that he had a voice similar to that of Miguel Morales, one of his idols.
“Mane sings Miguel Morales’ songs well because he was a follower of him. He’s been doing it for a long time. In fact“, I presented him as the eldest son of Miguel Morales,” assured his friend Solano, who is also an amateur musician and was a percussionist for the musical group “Los Líderes.” There Mane also sang and played guacharaca.
“With that group we played at village festivals. We went to Papayal, Guayacanal and they took us to private parties at Cerrejón. We were the opening act for Los Diablitos, when Omar Geles and Jesús Manuel Estrada were there; Iván Villazón, in 91; Rafael Orozco, in the 90s; and Jorge Oñate, who came every year,” journalist Bonato Solano recalls for the newspaper El Espectador.
In addition to these memories, the man describes Mane as someone who was always listening to vallenato music and really liked being a performer. In addition, he was also a soccer player in a team called “Juventud Cerrejón.”
You may be interested: For journalist Leila Cobo, from Billboard, reggaeton made Latin music visible
“I was a defender and Mane was a forward. Then I went to Barranquilla and when I came back he already had a soccer school.” This was Mane’s beginnings in this sport that gave him results: his children Luis Díaz “Lucho”, professional player for Liverpool and Jesús Manuel Díaz Marulanda for Porto in Portugal, and younger brother of the head of the Colombian National Team.
The legacy of the Díaz family in vallenato
The largest dynasty of this genre is that of the Zuleta Díaz, according to the account of Emiliano Zuleta Baquero, author of The Cold Drop and Carmen Díaz Daza, a woman who also came from a musical family. That is the reason why it is said that those who have the surname Díaz, in the south of La Guajira, come from the same lineage.
For example, the minstrel Leandro Díaz, who died in 2022 and was in charge of writing, along with other greats of vallenato such as Emiliano Zuleta and Rafael Escalona, He was the cousin of “Mane” Díaz’s grandfather, Luis Guillermo Díaz.
“Mane Díaz” and his success on social networks
The name of Luis Manuel Diaz began to appear in the headlines due to an unfortunate event. It all started with his kidnapping in the hands of the guerrillas of the National Liberation Army (ELN) on October 28, 2023.
After his release, on November 9, the man had several media appearances and then decided to face that event with a funny video that the entire audience loved.
In one of his most viral videos “Mane” appears dancing to the song Kidnapping by El Mono Zabaleta. He trend It was a complete success and his love and passion for this musical genre was demonstrated, as well as his positive attitude despite his tragic experience.
In addition to that video, “Mane” Díaz has recently appeared in some Vallenato performances, such as in a concert by Mono Zabaleta at the Francisco El Hombre de Riohacha Festival.
Also Eagle He included it in the advertising of the Copa América, a tournament in which his son, the renowned soccer player Luis Díaz, participates.
Finally, the journalist and friend of “Mane” concluded that he could have followed his path through music, but his passion for sports took him on other paths. The result of his life is the career, and passion, of his two sons for football. A life in which they are representing Colombian football at an international level.
