Alan Ruschel hails his miraculous survival of the devastating 2016 Chapecoense plane crash to a one-off decision influenced by a teammate. The crash claimed the lives of 71 passengers, including players, journalists, and crew members, with only six people making it out alive.

Ruschel was on LaMia Airlines Flight 2933, which tragically went down while en route to the Copa Sudamericana final in Colombia. He believes that accepting Chapecoensegoalkeeper Jakson Follman's offer to switch seats and sit in the middle of the aircraft was pivotal in sparing his life.

In an interview with the Guardianin 2021, Ruschel recalled the moments before the tragedy. The 35-year-old, who now plays for Juventude, said: "I remember everything that happened. We were having fun in the airport before the flight. On the plane, some guys were listening to pagode, singing, playing cards.

READ MORE: Man Utd finally give Ruben Amorim signs of encouragement - 5 talking points vs West Ham

READ MORE: Rio Ferdinand can't believe what he's seen from Arsenal star - 'He is a joke'

"There was someone I didn't know by my side, so Jakson Follman [another survivor] invited me to sit next to him in the middle of the plane. It saved my life. I thank God for this. I'm alive due to Follman's invitation."

After the crash, Ruschel faced a grim prognosis; he was told that using his legs might be a challenge due to spinal injuries, casting doubt on his future in football. However, drawing on his journey to professional sport, he found the determination to defy the odds and return to playing the game he loves.

Ruschel said: "Mentally, it was very hard. I have pins in my back because of the accident. I wanted to walk again and I did it. Then my next challenge was to start running. After running, I began to think about playing football again. And, of course, everybody questioned if I would be able to play again. I asked myself the same question.

"When I was younger, I faced a lot of tribulations to become a footballer. We had no vacations, birthdays or holidays and I slept in bad conditions for a long time. A footballer has to give up a lot. And a footballer also lives for himself and his family, because he takes the responsibility of sustaining them all. But my effort, with a lot of help, made me play again."

Ruschel's emotional return to the pitch came in a friendly against Barcelonaat Camp Nou. He cherishes this experience as one of the most extraordinary moments of his life, inspiring him to continue to strive for more.

He said: "I went to Barcelona's dressing room and talked to a lot of players, especially Messi.

"I was not that confident that I would return to good form, but he said some things that made me try to come back even stronger: to become a champion with Chapecoense.

"I also felt as good in the game against Roma, when I scored my first goal. Man, it was very special. We met the Pope. A lot of things happened. It still pushes me to be better."

Since then, Ruschel has won two major titles with Chapecoense and continues to play in the top tier of Brazilian football with Juventude, the club where he started his career at youth level.

Join our new WhatsApp communityand receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.