Chapecoense crash survivor Ruschel retires at 37

Alan Ruschel, one of the six survivors of the 2016 plane crash that claimed the lives of 71 people including Chapecoense players and staff, has retired from professional football at the age of 37. The Brazilian defender brought his career to an emotional close by helping his boyhood club, Juventude, secure promotion to Brazil’s Serie A with a 2-0 victory over Botafogo.

Ruschel, who suffered serious injuries in the air disaster, made a remarkable return to football a year later and rejoined Juventude in 2023 after first representing the club in 2007.

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