David Luiz

• Name: David Luiz
• Nationality: Brazilian
• Date of Birth: 22/04/1987
• Height: 189 cm
• Weight: 84.0 kg
• Previous Clubs: Benfica
• Position: Defender

Chelsea career
David Luiz (full name David Luiz Moreira Marinho) signed on transfer deadline day in January 2011 after a protracted transfer from Portuguese champions Benfica.

On putting pen to a five-and-a-half year contract he become the third Brazilian in the current squad, linking up with former Benfica team-mate Ramires and fellow defender Alex.

A 6ft 2in centre-back who can cover at either left- or right-back, he is renowned for his skill on the ball as much as his defensive ability.

After signing for Chelsea, he outlined his determination to nail down a regular place in the side, and took the previously unclaimed number 4 shirt, last worn by Claude Makelele.

He won plenty of plaudits for his early showings although conceded a late penalty on his first start, saved byPetr Cech, and went on to win the man of the match award.

Ineligible for the Champions League, he retained his place in the Premier League side until a goal conceded in the opening seconds at Old Trafford torpedoed Chelsea's title chances and Carlo Ancelotti left the Brazilian out of the remaining games.

He had earlier scored against United at Stamford Bridge, and headed home against Manchester City in the Premier League to keep our title hopes alive.

A knee injury following international duty meant he started the current campaign out of the side but he returned in mid-September and duly found the scoresheet again, this time curling home from the edge of the area against Bayer Leverkusen on his Chelsea Champions League debut.

After an up and down first half of the campaign, he has slowly settled down and adjusted to the English game, making over 30 appearances alongside various centre-back partners as injuries to others have taken their toll.

David started 15 consecutive games over the Christmas and new year period and, as Easter approaches, has even started to win round some of his harshest media critics with an unusual blend of no-nonsense defending and samba style. His penchant for goalscoring hasn't lessened either, as home league strikes against United and Bolton testify.

The Brazilian defender was superb in the 4-1 Champions League win against Napoli, but after injuring himself in the FA Cup semi-final win against Tottenham, he missed a number of crucial matches as the season drew to a close, including the FA Cup Final against Liverpool.

However, after an intense rehabilitation programme, David Luiz was deemed fit to play against Bayern Munich in the Champions League Final, where he completed the full 120 minutes and scored our second penalty in the shoot-out.

David Luiz has been a regular in the side thus far this current campaign, and underlined his commitment to the club by signing a new five-year contract minutes after the final whistle had sounded on our 1-0 win over Stoke City.

He scored his first goal of the season with a stunning free-kick in our 4-0 Champions League win against FC Nordsjaelland, while also netting from the penalty spot in the 5-4 Capital One Cup win against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge.

In April, David Luiz netted a contender for goal of the season with a stunning strike in the 3-0 win at Fulham.

Pre-Chelsea
Twenty-three years old when he signed on deadline day in January 2011, David Luiz was born in Sao Paulo and began his career with Esporte Clube Vitoria in Bahia where he made 47 appearances.

He switched to Benfica, initially on loan, in January 2007 before making the move permanent that summer.

In total he made 82 league appearances for the Lisbon club missing just one game in the 2009/10 season as they wrapped up a first league title in five years. Uefa.com voted him the Portuguese League's Player of the Year.

International career

David Luiz, who made his Brazil debut against America during the 2009/10 season, had earlier represented his country at the 2007 Under 20 World Cup,

He was in the Brazil squad that contested the Copa America in July 2011, and returned to the squad for the September internationals despite not having featured for Chelsea.

He has been a regular in the national side since his move to west London, and captained them for the first time in September 2012, in successive friendlies against South Africa and China. He also skippered the five-time World Cup winners during their friendly defeat against England at Wembley in February 2013.