Ruschel was one of just six survivors in the crash of LaMia Airlines Flight 2933, which killed 71 people including 19 Chapecoense players.

[3] He made his senior debut on 20 January 2009, starting in a 1–0 Campeonato Gaúcho home win against Sapucaiense.

Despite appearing regularly in the year's Gauchão, Ruschel never established himself a starter for Juventude, and subsequently served loans at Pelotas and Luverdense.

[7] A backup to Fabrício, Ruschel made his top tier debut on 14 September 2014 by starting in a 2–0 home win against Botafogo.

On 28 November 2016, while travelling with Chapecoense to the aforementioned finals, Ruschel was one of only six survivors of the LaMia Flight 2933 accident in the Colombian village of Cerro Gordo, La Unión, Antioquia.