David Luiz

David Luiz Moreira Marinho, born on 22 April 1987, is a Brazilian professional footballer currently playing for Flamengo. While primarily known as a centre-back, he has showcased versatility by also featuring as a defensive midfielder.Beginning his career at Vitoria, David Luiz later made a significant move to Benfica, where he spent five seasons, completing three full campaigns. His journey led him to Chelsea in January 2011, where he achieved success by clinching the UEFA Champions League in the 2011–12 season.


The subsequent season saw him secure the UEFA Europa League title. In June 2014, he made a high-profile transfer to Paris Saint-Germain for a world-record fee of £50 million for a defender at that time. During his two seasons in French football, Luiz contributed to winning all four domestic competitions. In 2014, he earned a spot in the FIFPRO Men's World 11. His return to Chelsea in August 2016, involving a £30 million transfer, added a Premier League and a second Europa League title to his achievements. Subsequently, he joined local rivals Arsenal in 2019 before returning to his home country to play for Flamengo in 2021.


David Luiz made his full international debut for Brazil in 2010 and has since earned over 50 caps. He played a vital role in the Brazilian team's triumph at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and their journey to the semi-finals of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Additionally, he has represented his nation in two editions of the Copa América.


On 30 January 2007, David Luiz embarked on his journey with the Portuguese club Benfica, joining as a loanee to fill the void left by Ricardo Rocha, who had moved to Tottenham Hotspur. His debut in a UEFA Cup match against Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes proved eventful, with Benfica losing 2–1 but advancing to the next round with a 4–3 aggregate victory. David Luiz made his first league appearance for Benfica on 12 March 2007 against União de Leiria and permanently joined the club at the end of the season for a €1.5 million transfer fee, signing a five-year contract.


During the 2008–09 season, David Luiz notched his first goal for Benfica on 11 January 2009, securing a home victory against Braga. He primarily played as a left-back in this campaign. However, it was under the management of Jorge Jesus in the 2009–10 season that David Luiz truly became a key player and vice-captain for Benfica. Playing a vital role, he appeared in 49 matches, contributing three goals and playing 4,206 minutes, helping Benfica secure the league title after a five-year drought. In the Taça da Liga, he scored in an away win against Sporting CP, with Benfica going on to win the competition. His outstanding performances earned him the Portuguese Liga Player of the Year award, securing 38% of the vote. Additionally, in September 2009, Benfica sold 25% of David Luiz's economic rights to a third-party owner, Benfica Stars Fund, for €4.5 million, valuing him at €18 million, with a renewed contract including a release clause of €50 million in October.


On 31 January 2011, David Luiz finalized his move to Chelsea in a high-profile transfer, commanding a €65 million fee, and inked a five-and-a-half-year contract. As part of the agreement, Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matić would join Benfica at the conclusion of his loan spell at Dutch club Vitesse.Making his Premier League debut on 6 February, David Luiz entered as a substitute in a 0–1 home loss against Liverpool. Eight days later, in a 0–0 draw against Fulham at Craven Cottage, he earned his first start and swiftly endeared himself to Chelsea fans. Despite conceding a penalty in the 93rd minute, saved by Petr Čech, he was awarded the Barclays Man of the Match.


On 1 March, David Luiz showcased his attacking prowess by scoring his debut goal for Chelsea, contributing to a 2–1 comeback victory against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge. He continued to make a significant impact, heading in his second goal in a 2–0 win over Manchester City on 20 March, receiving both the man of the match award and the Premier League Player of the Month for March.In the 2011–12 season, David Luiz, recovering from a knee injury, missed the initial three matches. However, upon his return on 13 September in a UEFA Champions League group stage match against Bayer Leverkusen, he not only played a crucial role but also scored from 15 yards, breaking the deadlock in a 2–0 home win. In the League Cup third-round tie against Fulham, he confidently converted his penalty in a 4–3 shootout victory (0–0 after 120 minutes).


On 5 February 2012, during a home league fixture against Manchester United, David Luiz played a pivotal role by putting Chelsea ahead 3–0 in the 50th minute. His header, originating from a Juan Mata free kick, was deflected by Rio Ferdinand. Despite his contribution, the match concluded with a thrilling 3–3 draw. Later, on 25 February, he showcased his goal-scoring ability through a curled shot, opening the score against Bolton Wanderers in a decisive 3–0 home win.


In the Champions League's round of 16 clash against Napoli on 14 March, Chelsea faced a challenging situation after a 3–1 loss in the first leg. David Luiz delivered a stellar performance in the return leg, helping secure a 4–1 extra-time victory. His outstanding contributions earned him the UEFA Man of the Match award, a recognition he also received in the first leg of the quarter-finals against former team Benfica, where Chelsea secured a 1–0 away win. Despite sustaining a muscular injury in the FA Cup semi-final against Tottenham, he made a remarkable comeback to play in the Champions League semi-finals against Barcelona and the domestic cup final. In the Champions League final against Bayern Munich, David Luiz started and played the full 120 minutes, contributing to Chelsea's triumph in the penalty shootout.


On 22 September 2012, David Luiz extended his stay with Chelsea by signing a new five-year contract. Throughout the season, he continued to be a regular starter, partnering with either Gary Cahill or John Terry. His versatility was evident as he scored his first goal from a free-kick against Nordsjælland in a 4–0 away win in the Champions League. During the Club World Cup in 2012, where Chelsea reached the final but lost to Corinthians, David Luiz was recognized as the second-best player of the tournament, receiving the Silver Ball. He played a role as a defensive midfielder in an 8–0 home victory over Aston Villa, scoring a free-kick and earning the Man of the Match award.

References

1.  "Updated squads for 2017/18 Premier League confirmed". Premier League. 2 February 2018. Archived from the original on 2 February 2020. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
2. ^ "David Luiz". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
3. ^ "David Luiz: Profile". worldfootball.net. HEIM:SPIEL. Archived from the original on 30 August 2020. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
4. a b Fleming, Mark; Herbert, Ian (24 January 2011). "Chelsea set to capture £21m David Luiz". The Independent. Archived from the original on 27 January 2011. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
5. a b "'Crazy mistakes' won't affect David Luiz as he eyes a return to form for Chelsea". Goal.com. 26 November 2011. Archived from the original on 29 November 2011. Retrieved 3 December 2011.
6. a b Sheen, Tom (13 June 2014). "David Luiz: PSG defender signed five-year deal after £50m move from Chelsea". The Independent. Archived from the original on 15 July 2014. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
7. a b "Transfer news: Paris Saint-Germain confirm £50million purchase of Chelsea's David Luiz". Sky Sports. 13 June 2014. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
8. a b "PSG sign Chelsea defender Luiz on a five-year deal". ESPN. 13 June 2014. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
9. ^ "FIFPro World XI: Which 11 players made FIFA's team of the year for 2014?". 13 January 2015.
10. ^ "David Luiz é o representante de Diadema na Seleção Brasileira" [David Luiz represents Diadema in Brazil national team] (in Portuguese). Tvabcd. 24 September 2010. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 19 January 2011.
11. ^ ""Pensei em dispensar David Luiz", revela coordenador da base do Vitória. Veja!" ["I thought about letting David Luiz go", reveals Vitória's youth system coordinator. Look!] (in Portuguese). Yahoo!. 14 December 2012. Archived from the original on 2 March 2014. Retrieved 9 October 2017.