Alan Ruschel, one of only six survivors of the LaMia Flight 2933 disaster that killed 71 people in 2016, has ended his playing career after helping Juventude secure promotion to Brazil's top flight.
The 37-year-old full-back was among the few survivors of the November 2016 crash in Colombia, which was transporting the Chapecoense squad to the Copa Sudamerica final. The disaster killed all but three members of the team.
Road to recovery
Ruschel sustained serious injuries and had to relearn how to walk. Despite this, he returned to play for Chapecoense alongside fellow survivor Neto, who retired in 2019.
He left Chapecoense in 2021 to join EC Juventude, where he has now decided to call time on his career.
Emotional farewell
Before kick-off, Ruschel was carried onto the pitch on supporters' shoulders. He entered the action in the 74th minute as Juventude preserved a 2-0 victory over Botafogo, then completed a lap of honour to bid farewell.
In a social media post before the match, Ruschel paid tribute to the team-mates he lost, writing: "Football has given me wonderful moments, but life has put me in front of challenges that I never imagined."
He added: "November 29, 2016, a day that changed my life forever. That day, many dreams fell by the wayside. I lost friends, companions and people with whom I shared dreams and projects."
"And God gave me a second chance. I didn't know if I would be able to play football again, but I believed that if I was here, there was still a purpose for my life."
He concluded: "Life has taught me that we can't always choose what happens to us, but we can choose how we handle each situation, and I chose to move on."
