Ruben Dias - Manchester City FC

Leads by example...

The 2020/21 Premier League Player of the Season, Football Writer’s Player of the Year and Etihad Player of the Season: Ruben Dias.

When the defender joined City in September 2020, aged 23, fans weren’t sure what to expect of the latest addition. 

Nicknamed ‘Ruby’, the Portugal international began his senior career at Benfica, progressing from the youth team to their B side in 2015. 

His confidence and towering presence over the next four seasons enticed Pep Guardiola who snapped Dias up to add to City’s defensive structure. 

A commanding presence with a deep-rooted passion and strong winning mentality, Dias’ influence has helped to seal a watertight defence, which during the 2020/21 season conceded the fewest Premier League goals and lifted the Carabao Cup for a fourth successive season.

Dias was again outstanding in 2021/22, often wearing the skipper’s armband in Fernandinho’s absence.

Muscular injuries in the second-half of the campaign kept him out for several weeks, but with 40 starts he more than played a crucial part of City’s successful Premier League title defence.

After a solid start to the 2022/23 campaign, Dias was also part of the Portugal squad that reached the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup.

Dias made four starting appearances for Portugal at the Qatar showpiece.

Since the World Cup, Dias has featured in almost all of our Premier League matches, proving to be a key cog in City’s 10-game unbeaten run which helped us be crowned Premier League champions for a third consecutive season. 

Dias played the entirety of our FA Cup final win over Manchester United, winning his first trophy of the prestigious competition. 

And to top off another phenomenal season in sky blue, Dias helped City create club history and win the Treble following our 1-0 win over Inter in the Champions League final.

Dias added his seventh trophy to his honours list after City won the UEFA Super Cup at the beginning of the 2023/24 season. Guardiola’s side beat Sevilla on penalties after the score ended 1-1 on the final whistle. 

Ruben also was a FIFA Club World Cup winner for the first time in December 2023 as City beat Fluminense 4-0  in Jeddah before again being central to another Premier League title at the end of that term.

44 games followed in 2024/25 as Dias maintained his standards but saw out a first ever season without winning the English top-flight.