Maria de Lourdes da Silva Oliveira, 35, was snatched on Wednesday when kidnappers broke into her home in the northern suburbs of Sao Paulo and tied up her husband and eight-year-old son.

Kidnappings such as these are not uncommon in Brazil where the mothers of footballers are usually the targets. Five players' mothers were seized in 2004 and 2005.

Although the gangs that snatch them tend to be armed, the family members are always returned alive and well, although usually after a ransom is paid.

The most recent such case was the snatching of the sister of Michael Anderson da Silva, who plays for Palmeiras, as she arrived at work a month ago.

Other players affected recently by family kidnappings were Grafite (ex Sao Paulo), Kleber (Santos), Rogerio (Fluminense), Marinho (Corinthians) and Luis Fabiano (Sevilla).