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David Luiz Moreira Marinho (born 22 April 1987), known as David Luiz, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays for English club Chelsea and the Brazil national team. Primarily a central defender, he can also be deployed as a defensive midfielder.
After starting out at Vitória, he moved to Benfica, remaining with the club for five seasons (three complete). He joined Chelsea in January 2011, winning the UEFA Champions League and the FA Cup during the 2011–12 season, followed by the UEFA Europa League the following season. In June 2014, he transferred to Paris Saint-Germain for a fee of £50 million, a world record transfer for a defender, and won all four domestic competitions in both of his seasons in French football. He returned to Chelsea in August 2016 in a £30 million transfer deal.
David Luiz made his full international debut for Brazil in 2010 and has since earned over 50 caps for his country. He was a member of the Brazilian teams which won the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and reached the semi-finals of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and has also represented his nation in two editions of the Copa América.
Club career
Vitória
Born in Diadema, São Paulo, to Ladislao and Regina Marinho, David Luiz arrived at Salvador-based club Vitória after being released by São Paulo, and started playing as a defensive midfielder, almost leaving the club for his poor performances in that position. However, he was soon moved to central defender and adapted well.
David Luiz made his official debut for Vitória in 2006, excelling in a 2–2 draw against Santa Cruz for that season's Copa do Brasil. At the worst situation of its history, in the third division, the club eventually promoted to the second level after finishing in second position, with the player appearing in eight of the club's last decisive nine games, scoring his only league goal on 3 September 2006 in a 2–0 home win against Clube Atlético do Porto.
Benfica
On 30 January 2007, David Luiz joined Portuguese club Benfica as a replacement for Tottenham Hotspur-bound Ricardo Rocha, on loan. He made a somewhat tumultuous debut for the club in a UEFA Cup match against Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes, partnering compatriot Anderson in the centre of defence, replacing the injured Luisão. Benfica lost the match 2–1, but managed to progress to the next round after winning 4–3 on aggregate.
On 12 March 2007, he played his first league match for Benfica, against União de Leiria. At the end of the season, David Luiz signed a five-year deal with the club and at the end of the season, following ten league appearances, he joined permanently for €1.5 million. Before the ensuing campaign, he scored his first goal for the club in the Guadiana Trophy friendly tournament, against Sporting Clube de Portugal. David Luiz only managed eight appearances in the league due to injury, however, as Benfica finished fourth.
On 11 January 2009, David Luiz netted his first official goal for Benfica, the game's only in a home success against Braga. He played most of the campaign as a left-back, at the expense of Portuguese international Jorge Ribeiro.
However, it was on the 2009–10 season, when new manager Jorge Jesus arrived to Benfica, that David Luiz became a club symbol and vice-captain. He was ever-present, appearing in 49 official matches (three goals, 4,206 minutes), as Benfica won the league after a five-year wait. In the season's Taça da Liga, in a 1–4 away win against Sporting CP, he opened the score in the eighth minute, with Benfica also eventually winning the competition. David Luiz won the Portuguese Liga Player of the Year that same season, with 38% of the vote while the runner-up, his teammate Ángel Di María, received 8%.
On 30 September 2009, Benfica sold 25% of David Luiz's economic rights on any future transfer to a third-party owner, Benfica Stars Fund, along with other teammates. He was tagged at €18 million, with the fund paying €4.5 million; his contract was also renewed in October, with a release clause of €50 million.
Chelsea
On 31 January 2011, David Luiz completed a move to Chelsea for a fee of €25 million, a five-and-a-half-year contract, with Nemanja Matić joining Benfica at the end of the season after his transfer spell away at Vitesse in the Netherlands. He made his official Premier League debut on 6 February, replacing José Bosingwa in a 0–1 home loss against Liverpool. Eight days later, he made his first start for Chelsea in a 0–0 draw against Fulham at Craven Cottage. Instantly becoming a cult hero amongst the Chelsea fans, David Luiz was awarded the Barclays Man of the Match award for his performance, despite giving away a penalty in the 93rd minute of the game, which was saved by Petr Čech.
On 1 March, David Luiz scored his first goal for Chelsea to help the Blues come from behind to win 2–1 against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge. On 20 March, he headed in his second goal for the Blues for a 2–0 home win over Manchester City, and again receiving the man of the match award, as well as the Player of the Month for March.
David Luiz missed the first three games of 2011–12 season due to a knee injury. He made his return to the first team on 13 September in a Champions League group stage match against Bayer Leverkusen, and he scored from 15 yards to break the deadlock in an eventual 2–0 home win. On his second match, a League Cup third round tie against Fulham, he netted his penalty shoot-out attempt in a 4–3 win (0–0 after 120 minutes).
On 5 February 2012, in a league home fixture against Manchester United, David Luiz put Chelsea ahead 3–0 in the 50th minute after his header was deflected by Rio Ferdinand, following a Juan Mata free kick. The match ended with a 3–3 draw. On 25 February, through a curled shot, he opened the score against Bolton Wanderers in an eventual 3–0 at home.
On 14 March, Chelsea faced Napoli in the Champions League's round of 16, following a 3–1 loss at the Stadio San Paolo in Naples. David Luiz made a stunning performance to help his team win the tie with a 4–1 extra-time win, being subsequently chosen by UEFA as the man of the match, an accolade he also received in the first leg of the quarter-finals against former team Benfica in a 0–1 away win. However, after leaving the pitch in the FA Cup semi-finals against Tottenham with a muscular injury, it was announced that he would miss both of the Champions League semi-finals encounters against Barcelona and the domestic cup final. He played, however, in the Champions League final – John Terry was also suspended for the match – David Luiz appeared, and started for Chelsea, playing the full 120 minutes, along with converting his penalty shootout attempt as the Blues won the shootout 4–3.
On 22 September 2012, David Luiz signed a new five-year contract with Chelsea. He started the new season again as a regular alongside either Gary Cahill or Terry, and scored his first goal from a free-kick against Nordsjælland in a 0–4 away win for the campaign's Champions League. In the Club World Cup in 2012, in which Chelsea lost in the final to Corinthians, he was chosen the second best player of the tournament, receiving the Silver Ball for his performances, one of which was as a defensive midfielder. He played in that position in an 8–0 home thrashing of Aston Villa the following week, being chosen man of the Match and netting the second from a free-kick.
On 17 April 2013, David Luiz scored during a 3–0 victory against London rivals Fulham. He also scored in both legs of the Europa League semi-finals against Basel; the first was a last minute, low free-kick curled around the wall and into the goalkeeper's bottom left-hand corner to secure a dramatic 2–1 away win, giving Chelsea an advantage going into the second leg at Stamford Bridge.
David Luiz was widely criticized for a controversial incident during Chelsea's 0–1 away win over Manchester United at Old Trafford on 5 May. After he elbowed opponent Rafael, the United defender kicked out at him and was sent off. David Luiz, however, was seen smiling while lying on the ground before writhing around in mock agony. David Luiz defended himself, saying he was smiling at the Manchester United fans who could be seen screaming insults and laughing at him.
Paris Saint-Germain
On 13 June 2014, David Luiz transferred to French club Paris Saint-Germain for a £50 million transfer fee, a world-record transfer for a defender, signing a five-year contract. He made his Ligue 1 debut on 16 August, partnering compatriot Marquinhos in central defence as PSG defeated Bastia 2–0 at the Parc des Princes. On 30 September, David Luiz scored his first PSG goal, opening a 3–2 home win over Barcelona in the Champions League group stage. He was seen as a surprise inclusion in the FIFA World Team of the Year at the 2014 Ballon d'Or awards.
On 19 January 2015, David Luiz scored his first Ligue 1 goal in a 4–2 defeat of Evian. On 11 March, he scored on his return to Stamford Bridge in the round of 16 of the Champions League as PSG drew 2–2 with his former club Chelsea to knock out the English club on away goals. He apologised for celebrating the goal, saying that it was the result of sudden emotion rather than malice towards his former employers.
In David Luiz's first season at the club, PSG won a domestic treble of the Ligue 1 championship, the Coupe de France and the Coupe de la Ligue, in addition to the Trophée des Champions. In his second season at the club, PSG repeated this accomplishment once again, after beating Marseille in the Coupe de France final.
Return to Chelsea
On 31 August 2016, David Luiz returned to Chelsea from PSG, for a reported fee of £34 million, and signed a three-year deal. On 16 September 2016, he made his return debut at home in 2–1 defeat against Liverpool after John Terry was ruled out for ten days. On 31 January 2017, David Luiz scored his first goal for the season from a free kick against Liverpool at Anfield. His goal marked his first Premier League goal since April 2013.
On 20 April 2017, Luiz was named in the PFA Team of the Year for the 2016–17 Premier League season.
International career
David Luiz played with the Brazil under-20 team at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2007, with the team being ousted in the round of 16. Courtesy of his solid season at Benfica, he was first picked for the senior side in a 2–0 friendly win against the United States on 10 August 2010, the first match after Mano Menezes had Dunga as the coach of the Seleção. Prior to making his debut for Brazil, the Portuguese Football Federation had considered calling him up to their own national team.
David Luiz was present in every squad during the management of Menezes and was called up for the Copa América in 2011, but did not make a single appearance at the tournament due to injury. In a friendly with Mexico in October of that year, he scored an own goal, but the Seleção eventually won it 2–1.
On 7 September 2012, David Luiz captained Brazil for the first time, appearing in a 1–0 win against South Africa in São Paulo.
David Luiz was included in the squad for the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2013, which was hosted in his native Brazil. Alongside teammate Thiago Silva, David Luiz started all matches and helped Brazil win their fourth Confederations Cup title. In the final against Spain, he made an outstanding goal-line clearance from Pedro's shot.
On 2 June, David Luiz was named in Brazil's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He scored his first international goal in a 1–1 draw against Chile in the round of 16. He subsequently converted the team's first kick in the penalty shootout as they prevailed 3–2 and reached the quarter-finals where he scored the winning goal from a long-distance free kick in a 2–1 win against Colombia. In the absence of Thiago Silva due to suspension, David Luiz captained the Seleção in their 7–1 defeat to Germany at the semi-final stage of the tournament. Brazil went on to lose the third-place play-off 3–0 against the Netherlands.
David Luiz was a member of Brazil's squad for the 2015 Copa América in Chile. He partnered Miranda in central defence for the team's first two group matches, before being dropped for Thiago Silva, as Brazil were knocked out by Paraguay in the quarter-finals.
On 13 November 2015, David Luiz received his first career red card in a 1–1 2018 World Cup qualifying draw with rivals Argentina in Buenos Aires.
In 2016, David Luiz and Thiago Silva were among several experienced players who were not chosen for the Copa América Centenario in the United States.
Style of play
Although primarily a central defender, David Luiz can also be deployed as a defensive midfielder, and has drawn praise for his physical strength, work-rate, technique, and range of distribution as a defender, as well as his personality, composure in possession, and confidence on the ball, which enables him to play the ball out from the back or launch an attack with long balls after winning back possession. A powerful striker of the ball from distance, Luiz has also been known to take and score from long-range free kicks. Although in the past he has been criticised in the media for his inconsistent defensive performances, and for being reckless in his challenges, as well as prone to errors or lapses in concentration, during the 2016–17 season, he showed notable improvements upon his return to Chelsea, when the club's new manager Antonio Conte decided to deploy him as a ball-playing centre-back in a three-man back-line in the team's 3–4–3 formation. Luiz excelled in the new role, while Conte praised the defender for working to improve his composure and concentration, and singled out Luiz as being "crucial" to the team's success, also labelling him as one of the best defenders in the world.
Personal life
David Luiz is a devout Christian and has named Kaká as his role model. He said, "My faith gives me the belief that I can go out and perform and improve as a player. It gives me strength and inspiration." He later added, "Everything in life belongs to God. Our purpose has already been mapped out." He received baptism in May 2015 in the indoor swimming pool of his teammate Maxwell.
Earlier in his career, David Luiz was likened physically to the Brazilian basketball player Anderson Varejão by fans in his own country, due to their similar hairstyle. In England, he was referred to as The Simpsons villain Sideshow Bob by opposition fans, and also in self-reference. David Luiz is a Portuguese citizen, which was acquired during his time at Benfica. Portugal wanted him to represent their national team, but he opted to play for his native Brazil instead.
Career statistics
Club
- As of 27 August 2017
| Team | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Continental1 | Other Tournaments2 | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Vitória | 2006 | 26 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 25 | 1 | 53 | 2 | ||
| 2007 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |||
| Total | 26 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 27 | 1 | 55 | 2 | |||
| Benfica | 2006–07 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | — | 14 | 0 | ||
| 2007–08 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 14 | 0 | ||
| 2008–09 | 19 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 27 | 3 | ||
| 2009–10 | 29 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 13 | 0 | — | 49 | 3 | ||
| 2010–11 | 16 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 0 | |
| Total | 82 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 29 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 132 | 6 | |
| Chelsea | 2010–11 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 2 |
| 2011–12 | 20 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 3 | |
| 2012–13 | 30 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 57 | 7 | |
| 2013–14 | 19 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 0 | |
| Total | 81 | 6 | 15 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 34 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 143 | 12 | |
| Paris Saint-Germain | 2014–15 | 28 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 5 |
| 2015–16 | 25 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 3 | |
| 2016–17 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| Total | 56 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 17 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 89 | 8 | |
| Chelsea | 2016–17 | 33 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 37 | 1 | |
| 2017−18 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | |
| Total | 36 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 41 | 2 | |
| Career total | 281 | 16 | 35 | 1 | 30 | 3 | 80 | 9 | 34 | 1 | 460 | 30 | |
1Continental competitions include the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup / Europa League and UEFA Super Cup.
2Other tournaments include the Trophée des Champions, FA Community Shield, FIFA Club World Cup, Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira and Campeonato Baiano.
International
- International goals
- Scores and results list Brazil's goal tally first:
| Goal | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 28 June 2014 | Estádio Mineirão, Belo Horizonte, Brazil |  Chile | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2014 FIFA World Cup |
| 2. | 4 July 2014 | Estádio Castelão, Fortaleza, Brazil |  Colombia | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2014 FIFA World Cup |
| 3. | 18 November 2014 | Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria |  Austria | 1–0 | 2–1 | Friendly |
Honours
Club
- Vitória
- Campeonato Baiano: 2005, 2007
- Benfica
- Primeira Liga: 2009–10
- Taça da Liga: 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11
- Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: Runner-up 2010
- Chelsea
- Premier League: 2016–17
- FA Cup: 2011–12
- UEFA Champions League: 2011–12
- UEFA Europa League: 2012–13
- Paris Saint-Germain
- Ligue 1: 2014–15, 2015–16
- Coupe de France: 2014–15, 2015–16
- Coupe de la Ligue: 2014–15, 2015–16
- Trophée des Champions: 2014, 2015, 2016
International
- Brazil
- FIFA Confederations Cup: 2013
- Superclásico de las Américas: 2014
Individual
- Primeira Liga Player of the Year: 2009–10
- Premier League Player of the Month: March 2011
- FIFA World Cup Dream Team: 2014
- FIFA/FIFPro World XI: 2014
- Ligue 1 Team of the Year: 2014–15, 2015–16
- Premier League PFA Team of the Year: 2016–17
- ESM Team of the Year: 2016–17