David Luiz facts for kids
David Luiz lining up for Chelsea before the 2019 UEFA Europa League final
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | David Luiz Moreira Marinho | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 22 April 1987 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Diadema, Brazil | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) | |||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Centre-back, defensive midfielder | |||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||
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Current team
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Fortaleza | |||||||||||||||
| Number | 23 | |||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2001 | São Paulo | |||||||||||||||
| 2001–2005 | Vitória | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | Vitória | 52 | (2) | |||||||||||||
| 2007–2011 | Benfica | 82 | (4) | |||||||||||||
| 2011–2014 | Chelsea | 81 | (6) | |||||||||||||
| 2014–2016 | Paris Saint-Germain | 56 | (3) | |||||||||||||
| 2016–2019 | Chelsea | 79 | (5) | |||||||||||||
| 2019–2021 | Arsenal | 53 | (3) | |||||||||||||
| 2021–2024 | Flamengo | 86 | (4) | |||||||||||||
| 2025– | Fortaleza | 8 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| International career‡ | ||||||||||||||||
| 2007 | Brazil U20 | 6 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2010–2017 | Brazil | 57 | (3) | |||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 04:51, 13 June 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 07:28, 19 June 2020 (UTC) |
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David Luiz Moreira Marinho (born on April 22, 1987) is a Brazilian professional footballer. He plays as a defender for the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Fortaleza. David Luiz is mainly a centre-back, but he can also play as a defensive midfielder.
He started his career at Vitoria in Brazil. Later, he moved to Benfica in Portugal, where he played for five seasons. In January 2011, he joined Chelsea in England. With Chelsea, he won the UEFA Champions League in 2012 and the UEFA Europa League in 2013.
In June 2014, David Luiz transferred to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in France. At the time, his transfer fee of £50 million was a world record for a defender. He won all four major French trophies during his two seasons with PSG. He was also chosen for the FIFPRO Men's World 11 in 2014.
He returned to Chelsea in August 2016. There, he won a Premier League title and another Europa League title. In 2019, he moved to Arsenal, a rival club in London. In 2021, he went back to Brazil to play for Flamengo.
David Luiz first played for the Brazilian national team in 2010. He has played more than 50 matches for his country. He was part of the Brazilian team that won the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup. He also helped Brazil reach the semi-finals of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He has also played in two editions of the Copa América.
Contents
Club Journey
Starting at Vitória
David Luiz was born in Diadema, São Paulo. He joined the club Vitória in Salvador. He first played as a defensive midfielder. However, he soon moved to play as a central defender and did very well.
He made his debut for Vitória in 2006. The club was in the third division at the time. Vitória was promoted to the second level that season. David Luiz played in eight of the last nine important games. He scored his only league goal on September 3, 2006.
Time at Benfica
First Steps and Successes (2007–2008)
On January 30, 2007, David Luiz joined Portuguese club Benfica. He was on loan at first. He made his debut in a UEFA Cup match against Paris Saint-Germain. Benfica lost that game 2–1, but they moved to the next round.
On March 12, 2007, he played his first league match for Benfica. After playing ten league games, he joined the club permanently. He signed a five-year contract. He scored his first goal for Benfica in a friendly tournament. However, he only played eight league games in the 2007–08 season due to an injury.
Becoming a Key Player (2008–2010)
On January 11, 2009, David Luiz scored his first goal for Benfica. It was the only goal in a home win against Braga. He played most of the season as a left back.
In the 2009–10 season, David Luiz became a very important player and vice-captain. He played in 49 matches and scored three goals. Benfica won the league title that year, their first in five years. He also helped Benfica win the Taça da Liga cup. David Luiz was named the Portuguese Liga Player of the Year for that season.
In September 2009, Benfica sold part of David Luiz's future transfer rights. His contract was also renewed with a high release clause.
Playing for Chelsea
Immediate Impact (2011–2012)
On January 31, 2011, David Luiz moved to Chelsea. He signed a five-and-a-half-year contract. He made his Premier League debut on February 6 against Liverpool. Eight days later, he started his first game for Chelsea against Fulham. He quickly became a favorite among Chelsea fans. He even won the Barclays Man of the Match award for his performance.
On March 1, he scored his first goal for Chelsea against Manchester United. On March 20, he scored his second goal against Manchester City. He received the man of the match award again and was named Premier League Player of the Month for March.
He missed the first three games of the 2011–12 season due to a knee injury. He returned on September 13 in a UEFA Champions League match against Bayer Leverkusen. He scored a goal in their 2–0 win.
Great Performances (2012–2014)
On February 5, 2012, David Luiz scored against Manchester United in a league game. On March 14, Chelsea played Napoli in the Champions League. David Luiz played amazingly and helped his team win 4–1 in extra-time. He was chosen as the man of the match by UEFA.
He also played in the Champions League final. Chelsea won the match in a penalty shootout. David Luiz played all 120 minutes and scored his penalty.
On September 22, 2012, David Luiz signed a new five-year contract with Chelsea. He scored his first goal of the new season from a free-kick. In the Club World Cup in 2012, he was chosen as the second-best player. He received the Silver Ball award.
On April 17, 2013, David Luiz scored in a 3–0 win against Fulham. He also scored in both games of the Europa League semi-finals against Basel.
Moving to Paris Saint-Germain
On June 13, 2014, David Luiz moved to French club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). He signed a five-year contract. He made his Ligue 1 debut on August 16. On September 30, he scored his first PSG goal against Barcelona in the Champions League. He was surprisingly included in the FIFA World Team of the Year in 2014.
On January 19, 2015, David Luiz scored his first Ligue 1 goal. On March 11, he scored against his old club Chelsea in the Champions League. PSG drew 2–2 and knocked Chelsea out of the competition. He apologized for celebrating the goal.
In his first season at PSG, the team won three domestic trophies: the Ligue 1 championship, the Coupe de France, and the Coupe de la Ligue. They also won the Trophée des Champions. In his second season, PSG won these trophies again.
Back to Chelsea
David Luiz returned to Chelsea from PSG in August 2016. He signed a three-year deal. His first game back was a 2–1 loss to Liverpool. On January 31, 2017, he scored his first goal of the season against Liverpool. At the end of the season, David Luiz was named in the PFA Team of the Year for 2016–17.
He scored in Chelsea's first match of the 2017–18 Premier League season against Burnley. On September 17, 2017, he received a red card against Arsenal. Chelsea won the 2017-18 FA Cup that season, but David Luiz was injured and missed the final.
David Luiz scored his first goal of the 2018–19 Premier League season in a 2–0 win over Manchester City. He scored the winning penalty in a shootout against Tottenham Hotspur in the EFL Cup semi-final.
Time at Arsenal
2019–20 Season
On August 8, 2019, Arsenal signed David Luiz from Chelsea. He received the number 23 shirt. On October 6, 2019, he scored his first goal for Arsenal in a 1–0 win against AFC Bournemouth. He scored his second Arsenal goal in a 2–2 draw against Crystal Palace.
In a match against his former club Chelsea in January 2020, he was sent off. He received a three-match ban from playing. He returned in a Premier League match against Everton.
After football restarted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, David Luiz came on as a substitute against Manchester City. He made an error that led to City's first goal. He then gave away a penalty and was sent off early in the second half. He became the first player in five years to get a red card, give away a penalty, and make an error leading to a goal in a Premier League match.
In Arsenal's last match of the season, David Luiz gave away a penalty against Watford. This was his fifth penalty conceded that season, a Premier League record. On August 1, 2020, David Luiz started in the FA Cup Final against Chelsea. Arsenal won their 14th FA Cup.
2020–21 Season
On August 29, 2020, David Luiz started and scored a penalty in a shootout win against Liverpool in the 2020 FA Community Shield.
On November 29, 2020, he had a serious head collision with Raúl Jiménez during a game. Jiménez was knocked out and needed surgery for a fractured skull. David Luiz continued playing with a bandage on his head but was substituted at half-time. This led to calls for 'free substitutions' for players with head injuries.
On February 28, 2021, he scored his first Premier League goal of the season against Leicester City. On March 6, he played his 50th league game for Arsenal.
On May 18, 2021, Arsenal's manager confirmed that David Luiz would leave the club when his contract ended in June 2021.
Playing for Flamengo
On September 11, 2021, David Luiz signed a 15-month contract with Flamengo. This marked his return to Brazil after almost 15 years playing in Europe. He was part of the Flamengo team that played in the 2021 Copa Libertadores Final on November 27. His team lost 2–1 to Palmeiras after extra time.
On October 29, 2022, he played in the 2022 Copa Libertadores Final against Athletico Paranaense. Flamengo won 1–0. With this win, he became the twelfth player to win both the UEFA Champions League and the Copa Libertadores.
On May 13, 2023, David Luiz scored his first goal for Flamengo. It was a header against Esporte Clube Bahia. He did not celebrate the goal. He explained that Salvador, where the game was played, was a very special city for him.
On December 22, 2024, Flamengo confirmed that David Luiz's contract would not be renewed. He left the club after 132 games, scoring four goals and providing two assists. He won a Libertadores title, two Copa do Brasil titles, and a Carioca title with Flamengo.
Joining Fortaleza
On January 20, 2025, Fortaleza announced they had signed David Luiz. His contract is until December 31, 2026, with an option to extend. He joined Fortaleza for free. On February 11, 2025, he played his first game for Fortaleza in the 2025 season. However, his team lost 2-1 to Altos in the Nordestão cup.
International Career
David Luiz played for the Brazil under-20 team in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Because of his strong performances at Benfica, David Luiz was called up to the Brazilian senior squad. This was for a friendly match against the United States on August 10, 2010. His debut ended in a 2–0 win for Brazil. Before this, the Portuguese Football Federation had thought about asking him to play for their national team.
David Luiz was part of every Brazilian squad under coach Mano Menezes. He was called up for the 2011 Copa América, but he did not play due to an injury. In a friendly game against Mexico in October 2011, he scored an own goal, but Brazil still won 2–1.
On September 7, 2012, David Luiz was the captain for Brazil for the first time. Brazil won 1–0 against South Africa. He was part of the squad for the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2013, which Brazil hosted. David Luiz played in all matches and helped Brazil win their fourth Confederations Cup title. In the final against Spain, he made an amazing save on the goal line.
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On June 2, 2014, 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 then scored in the penalty shootout as Brazil won 3–2. He scored the winning goal from a free kick against Colombia in the quarter-final. In the absence of Thiago Silva, David Luiz was the captain for Brazil's 7–1 defeat to Germany in the semi-final. Brazil then lost the third-place play-off 3–0 to the Netherlands.
David Luiz was in Brazil's squad for the 2015 Copa América in Chile. Brazil was knocked out by Paraguay in the quarter-finals.
On November 13, 2015, David Luiz received his first red card in a 1–1 draw against Argentina. In 2016, David Luiz was not chosen for the squad that went to the Copa América Centenario.
How David Luiz Plays
David Luiz mainly plays as a centre back. However, he can also play as a defensive midfielder or a full back. People praise him for his strength, hard work, and good technique. He is also known for his ability to pass the ball well. He is confident with the ball and can start attacks from the back.
He can also shoot powerfully from long distances. He is known for scoring from long-range free kicks. In the past, some people criticized him for being inconsistent in defense. They also said he was sometimes too reckless in his tackles. However, in the 2016–17 season, he improved a lot when he returned to Chelsea. His new manager, Antonio Conte, used him as a central defender in a three-man defense. David Luiz did very well in this new role. Conte praised him for improving his focus and called him one of the best defenders in the world.
Personal Life
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David Luiz is a very religious Evangelical Christian. He has said that his faith helps him perform well and improve as a player. He believes that everything in life is part of God's plan. In May 2015, he was baptized by his Brazil and PSG teammate Maxwell.
Early in his career, fans in Brazil thought David Luiz looked like basketball player Anderson Varejão because of their similar hairstyles. In England, opposing fans sometimes called him The Simpsons character Sideshow Bob.
David Luiz is also a Portuguese citizen. He got this citizenship while playing for Benfica. Portugal wanted him to play for their national team, but he chose to play for his home country, Brazil.
In 2018, David Luiz and his teammate Willian bought an Italian restaurant in Mayfair, London.
Career Statistics
Club Appearances
| Club | Season | League | State league | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Vitória | 2006 | Série C | 26 | 1 | 24 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 53 | 2 | |||
| 2007 | Série B | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 26 | 1 | 26 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 55 | 2 | |||||
| Benfica (loan) | 2006–07 | Primeira Liga | 10 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | — | 14 | 0 | |||
| Benfica | 2007–08 | Primeira Liga | 8 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 14 | 0 | ||
| 2008–09 | Primeira Liga | 19 | 2 | — | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 27 | 3 | |||
| 2009–10 | Primeira Liga | 29 | 2 | — | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 13 | 0 | — | 49 | 3 | |||
| 2010–11 | Primeira Liga | 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 | Premier League | 12 | 2 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 12 | 2 | ||||
| 2011–12 | Premier League | 20 | 2 | — | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 1 | — | 40 | 3 | |||
| 2012–13 | Premier League | 30 | 2 | — | 6 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 57 | 7 | ||
| 2013–14 | Premier League | 19 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 0 | ||
| Total | 81 | 6 | — | 15 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 32 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 143 | 12 | |||
| Paris Saint-Germain | 2014–15 | Ligue 1 | 28 | 2 | — | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 5 | |
| 2015–16 | Ligue 1 | 25 | 1 | — | 3 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 3 | ||
| 2016–17 | Ligue 1 | 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 | Premier League | 33 | 1 | — | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 38 | 1 | |||
| 2017–18 | Premier League | 10 | 1 | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 2 | ||
| 2018–19 | Premier League | 36 | 3 | — | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50 | 3 | ||
| Total | 79 | 5 | — | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 105 | 6 | |||
| Arsenal | 2019–20 | Premier League | 33 | 2 | — | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 43 | 2 | ||
| 2020–21 | Premier League | 20 | 1 | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 2 | ||
| Total | 53 | 3 | — | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 73 | 4 | |||
| Flamengo | 2021 | Série A | 7 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | — | 10 | 0 | |||
| 2022 | Série A | 19 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 0 | — | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 0 | ||
| 2023 | Série A | 15 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 39 | 1 | ||
| 2024 | Série A | 23 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | — | 36 | 3 | |||
| Total | 64 | 4 | 22 | 0 | 15 | 0 | — | 25 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 132 | 4 | |||
| Fortaleza | 2025 | Série A | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 17 | 0 | |
| Career total | 448 | 26 | 49 | 1 | 65 | 1 | 36 | 3 | 129 | 11 | 20 | 0 | 744 | 42 | ||
International Appearances
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | 2010 | 4 | 0 |
| 2011 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 16 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 14 | 3 | |
| 2015 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 57 | 3 | |
- As of 13 June 2017[update] Brazil score listed first, score column indicates score after each David Luiz goal.
| No. | 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 |
Trophies and Awards
Benfica
- Primeira Liga: 2009–10
- Taça da Liga: 2008–09, 2009–10
Chelsea
- Premier League: 2016–17
- FA Cup: 2011–12, 2017–18
- UEFA Champions League: 2011–12
- UEFA Europa League: 2012–13, 2018–19
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: 2015, 2016
Arsenal
- FA Cup: 2019–20
- FA Community Shield: 2020
Flamengo
- Copa Libertadores: 2022
- Copa do Brasil: 2022, 2024
- Campeonato Carioca: 2024
Brazil
- FIFA Confederations Cup: 2013
Individual Awards
- LPFP Primeira Liga Player of the Year: 2009–10
- Premier League Player of the Month: March 2011
- FIFA Club World Cup Silver Ball: 2012
- FIFA World Cup Dream Team: 2014
- FIFA FIFPro World XI: 2014
- FIFA FIFPro World XI 2nd team: 2013
- FIFA FIFPro World XI 3rd team: 2015, 2017
- Ligue 1 Team of the Year: 2014–15, 2015–16
- PFA Team of the Year: 2016–17 Premier League
- ESM Team of the Year: 2016–17
- UEFA Europa League Squad of the Season: 2018–19
- Troféu Mesa Redonda: 2022
- Copa Libertadores Team of the Tournament: 2022
- South American Team of the Year: 2022
