Alan Ruschel

Alan Luciano Ruschel is a Brazilian professional footballer who played as a left back and recently retired from the sport. He gained global recognition as one of only six survivors of the LaMia Airlines Flight 2933 crash in November 2016. The tragedy occurred while his team, Chapecoense, was traveling to the Copa Sudamericana final. Seventy-one people died in the accident, including nineteen of his teammates.

Ruschel spent years recovering from severe injuries sustained during the crash before returning to professional play. His journey became a symbol of resilience within the football world. As of late 2026, he concluded his career after playing for clubs such as Juventude in Brazil's lower divisions. [edit]

Born in Taquara, a municipality in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, Alan Luciano Ruschel grew up immersed in the local culture of Brazilian football. While detailed records of his childhood schooling or family background remain scarce in public archives, his path to the professional pitch followed a traditional trajectory for players from that region. He began his development in the youth systems of Rio Grande do Sul, honing his skills as a left-sided defender.

Before achieving international fame through tragedy, Ruschel worked as a journeyman player moving through various regional and lower-division clubs in Brazil. These years were marked by the steady grind of trying to secure a permanent spot in a competitive league. He eventually joined Chapecoense, a club based in Santa Catarina, where he hoped to establish himself as a regular starter. This period of his life involved standard training routines and the uncertainty faced by many athletes at the semi-professional level until the events of November 2016 abruptly altered the course of his existence. [edit]

The defining moment of Ruschel's career arrived on November 28, 2016, when LaMia Airlines Flight 2933 crashed near Medellín, Colombia. He survived along with five others out of the seventy-one souls on board. In December 2016, he publicly revealed that swapping seats on the plane shortly before takeoff had been the decisive factor in his survival. Following months of intense physical rehabilitation and psychological recovery, he made an emotional return to the pitch in July 2017 during a friendly match against Barcelona.

Chapecoense rewarded his resilience by extending his contract in February 2018. Ruschel continued his professional career for several years, later joining Juventude in Caxias do Sul where he wore the number 28 shirt. He competed in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série B and the state championship of Rio Grande do Sul. On November 14, 2026, marking the tenth anniversary of the disaster, he announced his retirement from professional football, becoming the last known survivor of the crash to hang up his boots. [edit]

Ruschel projects an image of quiet strength and determination rather than flashy celebrity. Media portrayals consistently highlight his role as a survivor who overcame immense physical and emotional trauma to return to the sport he loves. His demeanor in interviews reflects a grounded perspective shaped by the loss of his teammates. He is viewed by the football community as a testament to human endurance rather than a star defined by statistics or trophies. [edit]

iFANN has not yet collected fame data for this person. He does not appear on the September 2026 iFAMOUS Rankings flagship list. While there is no formal name for his fanbase, the global football community and supporters of Chapecoense regard him with deep affection. Fans often cite his story as a central part of modern football history, viewing his return to the pitch as a significant cultural moment. His connection with supporters is rooted in shared admiration for his survival rather than organized campaigns or rituals. [edit]

Ruschel is widely credited with changing seats on the flight just before departure, a decision that saved his life according to his own accounts reported in December 2016. His return to play against FC Barcelona in the Joan Gamper Trophy in July 2017 served as a powerful public demonstration of his recovery. In an August 2021 interview with The Guardian, he described himself not just as a survivor but as a champion. Fellow survivors Neto and Jakson Follmann often appear alongside him in media coverage regarding the aftermath of the crash. [edit]

Public information regarding Ruschel's immediate family remains minimal. Sources confirm his birth in Taquara but offer little detail about his parents or siblings. He maintains a private personal life away from the spotlight, with no documented reports of marriage or children. His focus has remained largely on his recovery and football career since the tragedy. [edit]

Neto, Jakson Follmann, Chapecoense, Juventude[edit]

Ruschel keeps his romantic life strictly private. No credible sources document any past relationships, marriages, or engagements. He has never publicly discussed dating partners or family formation. As of 2026, he remains unmarried and single with no confirmed partner. The absence of relationship news is consistent with his general approach to maintaining privacy outside of his football career and the tragic events that defined it. [edit]

As of 2026, research by the iFANN Editorial Team puts Alan Ruschel's fortune at around $500 Thousand. This estimate reflects earnings from his tenure in Brazilian lower-division football and subsequent appearances related to the Chapecoense tragedy. Unlike high-profile stars, his income streams are modest and primarily derived from club salaries during his active years. The figure represents a conservative assessment given the lack of major endorsement deals or business ventures associated with his name. [edit]