LIMASSOL, Cyprus (AP) — At age 38, David Luiz scored his first Champions League goal in more than eight years Wednesday.
The Brazilian defender, playing for Pafos and still sporting his trademark shock of curly hair, soared at a corner to guide a powerful header into the top corner of the Monaco net. It leveled the score at 1-1 in the 18th minute.
He last scored in the competition in October 2017, during his second spell with Chelsea, in a 3-3 draw with Roma at Stamford Bridge.
Pafos’ David Luiz celebrates after scoring his side’s opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Pafos FC and AS Monaco in Limassol, Cyprus, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
He was a key player in Chelsea’s Champions League title-winning team in 2012 and later played in the competition for Paris Saint-Germain. His Champions League debut was with Benfica in 2007.
David Luiz returned to Europe in August after four seasons in Brazil to join Cypriot champion Pafos in its debut in the marquee competition.
Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter
The Warm-Up
Winnipeg Jets Game Days
On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.
Sign up for The Warm-Up
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
