Kidnapped Mexican footballer Alan Pulido knocked his captor unconscious and was freed with the help of local police on Monday.

Pulido, 25, found himself alone with one of his captors and managed to wrestle away the man's pistol and his cellphone and dialed Mexico's emergency number, according to the Associated Press.

Pulido was snatched by four armed men on a highway while returning from a party at about 11:30 p.m. Saturday.

After he was freed, Pulido was taken for medical and psychological review and then provided a statement to investigators.

The suspect was a 38-year-old from the Gulf coast state of Veracruz and the other three suspects were identified and a search was underway.