When Manchester City signed Ruben Dias in the final days of September 2020, few imagined he would go on to have such a huge impact at the club in such a short space of time.
At just 23-years-old Dias came straight into the team and shored up what was a shaky and disorganised defence. He formed a superb understanding with fellow centre-back John Stones as City recovered from a poor start to the season to win the Premier League title, and was named the FWA Footballer of the Year at the end of his debut campaign.
Dias' physical and technical qualities were immediately clear, but what also became obvious was that City had found the leader their back-line had been sorely missing. With little regard for his status as a new signing, Dias set about organising his teammates and acting as a leader both on and off the pitch and by his second season in Manchester he had become part of City's leadership group.
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When asked in May 2021 about how Dias was able to become a team leader so quickly, Pep Guardiola said: "The club doesn't give you a role as a leader, it comes from inside, the natural way. If it's not real the people realise it. He's not, he's a guy when he says something he believes it and wants to help the guys. He takes a responsibility in the good and bad moments."
This season Dias is once again part of City's leadership group; he, Rodri and Kyle Walker support club captain Ilkay Gundogan and vice-captain Kevin de Bruyne. When the midfielders are off the field, Dias is the one who takes the captain's armband.
Now - in an interview with Forbes - Dias has revealed how he was able to ascend the leadership ranks so quickly.
It all began when he was eight or nine, making his debut for local club C.F. Estrela da Amadora. At that age leadership and teamwork is not the first thing of players' minds, but Dias was different.
"My team was suffering a bit and I just ended up running everywhere. I was trying to speak with everyone, trying to organize it and make everyone run together," he told Forbes.
From then on he knew what he wanted to achieve in the game, regardless of the sacrifices required.
The defender added: "It was just a feeling of ‘I’ll do it. No matter what, I will sacrifice more. I will be ready to sleep more, ready to party less. I won’t be bothered with girlfriends, I won’t be bothered with making too many friends that might just distract me while I’m pursuing my dream.
"Having the talent and having the right mindset together can make you unstoppable."
When he was scouted by Benfica his leadership qualities developed further, particularly during his first professional season at Benfica B. The team were almost relegated, but Dias feels the experience helped him.
"There was a lot of pressure," Dias said. "But I think that’s also the moment you see someone with fiber. Someone with the will to win. I think in my career that was a very important moment in terms of defining my personality."
When Dias moved up to the first team some of his more senior teammates weren't keen on a youngster telling them what to do. They soon came to accept that Dias knew what he was talking about.
He added: "I was not trying to show off, I was not trying to look smart, I was just being me. I believe that the right people to lead, they're born with it. I've never tried to aim for anything else than being who I am."
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