David Luiz

David Luiz

Luiz playing for Chelsea in 2011
Personal information
Full name	David Luiz Moreira Marinho
Date of birth	(1987-04-22) 22 April 1987
Place of birth	Diadema, Brazil
Height	1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s)	Defender
Team information
Current team	Chelsea
Number	4
Youth career
1999–2001	São Paulo
2001–2005	Vitória
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2006–2007	Vitória	26	(1)
2007	→ Benfica (loan)	10	(0)
2007–2011	Benfica	72	(4)
2011–	Chelsea	28	(4)
International career‡
2007	Brazil U20	2	(0)
2010–	Brazil	11	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 00:00, 10 March 2012 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18 November 2011

David Luiz Moreira Marinho (born 22 April 1987), known as David Luiz, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Chelsea in the Premier League. Primarily a central defender, he can also be deployed as a left back.

Club career

Vitória

Born in Diadema, São Paulo, David Luiz arrived in Esporte Clube Vitória at the age of 14 after being released by São Paulo FC, 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.

Luiz made his official debut for Vitória in 2006, and excelled against Santa Cruz Futebol Clube for that season's Brazilian Cup, in a 2–2 draw. At the worst situation of its history, in the third division, Vitória promoted to the second division at the end of the season with Luiz's help, after finishing in second position, with the central appearing in eight of the club's last decisive nine games, scoring his only Série C goal on 3 September 2006, in a 2–0 home win against Clube Atlético do Porto.

Benfica

On 30 January 2007, Luiz joined Sport Lisboa e 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 center of the defense, replacing the injured Luisão. Benfica lost the match 2–1, but managed to go through 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, Luiz signed a five-year deal with the club and, on 5 August, scored his first goal for the club in the Torneio do Guadiana friendly tournament, against Sporting Clube de Portugal. He 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 Sporting de Braga. He played most of the campaign as a left back, at the expense of Portuguese international Jorge Ribeiro.

In the 2009–10 season, Luiz was everpresent, appearing in 49 official matches (three goals, 4,206 minutes), as Benfica won the league after a five-year wait. In the season's League Cup, in a 4–1 away win against Sporting, he opened the score in the eighth minute, with Benfica also eventually winning the competition.

On 30 September 2009, Benfica sold 25% of 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, Luiz completed a move to Chelsea for an undisclosed fee, which Benfica confimed to be €25 million, on a five-and-a-half-year contact, 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 1–0 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, firing in a half volley to help the Blues come from behind to win 2–1 against Manchester United, at Stamford Bridge, with Frank Lampard scoring a late penalty winner. On 20 March, he scored his second goal for the Blues, heading in from a free kick against Manchester City (2–0 home win), and again receiving the Man of the match award, as well as the Player of the Month for March.

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 the UEFA Champions League group stage match against Bayer 04 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, 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 game ended with a 3–3 draw. On the 25th, through a curled shot, he opened the score against Bolton Wanderers (3–0, home).

On 14 March, Chelsea would face italian side Napoli in Stamford Bridge for the Round 16 of the Champions League, after a 3–1 defeat in Stadio San Paolo. Luiz made a stunning performance, alongside his defense fellows and saw Chelsea revert the score by winning 4–1. Luiz was chosen the man of the match by UEFA website.

International career

David Luiz played with Brazil's under-20 at the 2007 FIFA World Cup, with the team being ousted in the round of 16.

Courtesy of his solid season at Benfica, he was first picked for the full side for a friendly against the United States on 10 August 2010, after the national team's coaching change, with Mano Menezes replacing Dunga, playing in the 2–0 away win. He was in every list of new manager Mano Menezes and was called up for the 2011 Copa América, but did not make a single appearance at the tournament due to injury.

In a friendly with Mexico in October 2011, Luiz scored an own goal, but the Seleção eventually won it 2–1.

Statistics

Club

As of 14 March 2012.

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	0	0	28	0
	Total	82	4	8	0	11	1	29	1	0	0	130	6
Chelsea	2010–11	12	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	12	2
	2011–12	16	2	4	0	3	0	8	1	0	0	31	3
	Total	28	4	4	0	3	0	8	1	0	0	43	5
Career Total		136	9	14	0	14	1	38	2	27	1	228	13

¹Continental competitions include the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup.
²Other tournaments include the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira and Campeonato Baiano.

International

National team	Club	Season	Apps	Goals
Brazil	Benfica	2010	4	0
	Chelsea	2011	6	0
		2012	1	0
Total			11	0

Honours

Team

• Vitória:
  • Bahia State Championship: 2005

• Benfica:
  • Portuguese League: 2009–10
  • Portuguese League Cup: 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11

Individual

• Portuguese League: Footballer of the Year 2010
• Benfica Awards: Breakthrough Player of the Year 2007
• Premier League: Player of the Month March 2011
• PFA Fans: Player of the Month March 2011
• UEFA Team of the Year 2010 Nominee
• FIFA FIFPro World XI 2011 Shortlist http://www.fifpro.org/fifpro_world/players

References

External links

• Chelsea official profile
• Stats and profile at Zerozero
• Stats at ForaDeJogo Template:Pt icon
• PortuGOAL profile
• Premier League profile
• David Luiz at National-Football-Teams.com