This was the fourth promotion he has achieved to date, with three from Serie B to Serie A with Vitoria, Avai and Cuiaba.
After starting his career with Mirassol, he went on to Palmeiras and then played for Oeste, Ferroviaria, Guarani and Santo Andre. In Rio de Janeiro, he played for Vasco, where he developed a deep connection with the fans.
Before his latest promotion, in the 2022 Paulista Championship, Luiz Gustavo wore the colours of Santo Andre, where he was captain and a star of the team.
One of the most enriching experiences of his footballing story, however, came at the very start of his career, when he was still a part of Mirassol's youth team.
At the age of 14, he was playing in the under-15 team and caught the eye of Arsenal representatives, being invited to stay for a month at the London club on an exchange programme.
The idea was to try to get to know the reality of a top-level club up close, including the experience of training close to the professional team.
It was in London that he witnessed one of the most memorable moments in his life.
His standout performances during the trial aroused suspicion among the Arsenal management that he might have been a so-called "cat" - a term used for players who compete in categories below where they actually should be.
In this exclusive interview with Flashscore News, Luiz Gustavo recalls the distrust of the Arsenal board, his brief contact with Arsene Weger and the players he held as idols, and how all this is still important to him to this day.
Can you tell us more about the case of being a suspected 'cat' during your time in England?
I was training very well at Arsenal, and they suspected I was a "cat" because at the time I went there, there was no academy. There was just Group A, the Champions League and the Premier League players, and Group B, which had boys aged 16 and upwards. As I was 14 and training well with the other 16-year-olds, they suspected there was something wrong. They told my managers that they wanted to do a bone scan to prove my age.
Before the test, I called my father crying, asking if I was a cat. I said, "Dad, the people want to do an examination on me, they are saying that I am a cat, they want to do a bone examination on me. If I am a cat, tell me straight away, otherwise, I won't even do the examination, I'll get out of here".
He started talking on the phone: "Do you think you're a kid, are you stupid? You can take the exam, you are 14 years old, there is nothing going on!"
But I was already crying, right? (Luiz laughs) I said, "Dad, don't lie to me, for God's sake, because this will burn me in football, it can't".
Then my father reassured me and said, "Keep quiet, kid, you can take this test because you don't have anything to worry about!"
It was something that I'll never forget. I hung up the phone, did the test and there was nothing at all.
Were you surprised at the chance to spend some time in England?
Yes, I was quite surprised because at that age spending a period in England was a huge thing, much bigger than it is today, especially at a big club like Arsenal. I was very young, I had no experience at all, and I didn't know exactly how big that opportunity was, but I was very happy.
What made this opportunity happen?
It was because I was in a higher category at Mirassol, playing under-15s. I had a very good championship, as captain, I stood out and did very well, thank God. I think that was it, I played a very competitive championship above the average for my age.
Do you have any other important or interesting memories from that time there?
A curious memory is that we shared the dressing room with all the players who were there at the time. Adebayor, Fabregas, Eduardo Silva, Denilson... and also the coach Arsene Wenger, who came and gave us a hand. I didn't know or understand English, but he spoke a little bit with us. There was a translator, he passed motivational words and gave us a lot of strength. That was the most interesting part, sharing the dressing room with players that I only knew from video games. It was an incredible experience for me.
What are the biggest lessons that you have learned?
The biggest learning factors were discipline, focus, knowing what you want to achieve and determination. I think this is fundamental in the career of every athlete, of every player. That's what makes players different and able to reach higher goals. These are the lessons I take back to my life and career, the persistence to reach your goals.
Would you have done something different to stay longer in England and take advantage of this opportunity?
For sure. At the time I had no idea how important it was to be there, at a club like Arsenal, but with hindsight, I would have done it differently. I would have taken the opportunity, I would have stayed there and done everything possible, which would certainly have been a fundamental part of my career in Europe. Unfortunately, it didn't happen, we have to pick our heads up, work again now and work again to get there. Life goes on, if one day it doesn't happen, it was a learning experience and it was worth it.
Do you believe this is an opportunity that only a few youngsters get?
It's an opportunity that only comes up for a few people. Football today has changed a lot, there is a physical and mental preparation for athletes from an early age, which is why young people today know how to take better advantage of their chances. As I said, unfortunately at the time I had no idea about this opportunity and unfortunately, it ended up passing me by. If I had that understanding, I would have stayed there and my career would surely have taken place in Europe.