Benfica v Arsenal: How one calamitous performance shaped David Luiz’s career

“I remember how difficult his decision to go to Chelsea was,” says former international Nuno Gomes, who witnessed Luiz’s transformation from “an introvert” to “a natural entertainer” in the dressing room.

“He was perfectly adapted to Lisbon and the club. You may even say that he was already a Portuguese – he understood our culture, shared our habits.”

Brazilian striker Derlei was another who was at Benfica when Luiz first arrived.

“One night he, his agent Giuliano Bertolucci and I had dinner in the restaurant. I noticed David had no clue who I was, so Giuliano talked a bit about me, explaining that I had already won the Champions League and other trophies,” says the former striker, who won the Champions League and Uefa Cup with Porto and also played for Sporting Lisbon.

“At some point, David turned to me with a smile and said, ‘That’s very nice, man, congratulations. One day, I hope to be able to conquer all that, too.’ We can all agree that he didn’t do too bad, right?”

After league titles in Portugal, England and France, as well as Europa League and Champions League honours with Chelsea, that’s an assessment few would argue with. But beyond that, he remains a footballer who divides opinion like almost no other.

“He has always been leadership material, enjoyed being in the spotlight, didn’t run away from interviews and controversies,” says one of his earliest mentors, Joao Paulo Sampaio, the man who converted him into a centre-back.

“But that obviously comes at a price – when he makes a mistake, it draws more attention, too, especially in the world we live in today. It can take years to build a decent reputation, but only a second to destroy it. David has experienced it all.”

Despite some high-profile errors that have led to fierce criticism from fans and pundits, Luiz has been impressive of late for Arsenal and saw manager Mikel Arteta hailing his influence recently, calling him “a joy to work with”.

At Chelsea, where he won every major domestic and European title in six and a half seasons across two spells, Luiz still has far more supporters than detractors.

Once described by Gary Neville as a PlayStation player controlled by a kid in the crowd, he has managed to overcome any reputation he might have for erratic displays, and could be heading for his 10th season in the Premier League. He’s reportedly set to be offered another one-year contract extension at Arsenal.

Not bad for someone whose career was almost defined by a 6-0 thrashing nearly 15 years ago. It hasn’t stopped him from becoming one of the game’s most influential defenders.