Football: Chapecoense survivor Alan Ruschel returns to a football pitch for the first time in charity match

Alan Ruschel returns to the pitch. Photo / ESPN Brasil

Chapecoense plane crash survivor Alan Ruschel was back on a football pitch for the first time since the disaster which killed 71 people.

Ruschel, one of only three players to survive the disaster, kicked off a charity match in Brazil organised by his friend and former Portsmouth player Andres D'Alessandro.

And after returning to the bench as a host of famous ex-players took part, Ruschel described it as 'the best feeling in the world'.

'God has given me a second chance to live,' he said.

'I am happy for this, now I need to be strong for the challenges that lie ahead of me.
'This is the best feeling of the world, being able to be on the pitch again.'

Ruschel, who says he only survived because he agreed to swap seats with a journalist, recently left hospital after being treated for serious injuries.

He said he hoped to be playing again in six months, with he and another of the surviovrs, Helio Neto, both told they have a chance of returning to football.

He walked out onto the pitch wearing a yellow shirt with the number 28 and his name on the back, D'Alessandro as well as other players and even the match officials.

The game featured former World Cup winning captain and ex-Brazil manager Dunga, as well as former Brazil goalkeeper Dida, Chile legend Marcelo Salas and Puskas award winner Wendell Lima.

Alvaro Recoba, Juan Sebastian Veron, Roberto Ayala and Ariel Ortega all also took part in the game.

The footballers were also joined by Formula One driver Felipe Massa and former tennis player David Nalbandian.

On Wednesday Chapecoense announced their first signings since the tragic plane crash that resulted in the death of a majority of their squad.

A delegation of players and officials were involved in a plane crash in November as they headed to the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana in Medellin, Colombia.

The crash claimed the lives of 19 Chapecoense players and 52 other people, including officials, coaches and journalists.