Rúben Dias: "My Time at Benfica Made Me Who I Am"

Rúben Dias's career was recently reviewed on DAZN's PL Stories. From Amadora to Manchester, the City center-back hasn't forgotten his roots: "Lisbon is my paradise." After taking his first steps in football at Estrela da Amadora in Reboleira, Benfica recruited him at just 11 years old.

Captain of the Eagles at almost every youth level, Dias recalls Benfica's impact on his development as both a footballer and a person: "My time at Benfica was the most crucial part of it all. It made me who I am. All my football education comes from there. Then, in the transition to the first team, you have to adapt without losing sight of who you are."

After training with the senior squad in 2015/16 and 2016/17, Dias made his first-team debut for Benfica on September 16, 2017, in a 2-1 away win against Boavista. The center-back's early days in the top flight led to some ribbing from the dressing room's senior players: "When I first joined the senior team, André Almeida and Luisão said, 'Who's this kid? He never shuts up, always talking.' They thought I was showing off."

Almeida offers a different perspective, having witnessed Dias's rise through the youth ranks: "He was very annoying [laughs]. Hardworking, assertive, but very talkative. He had a communication ability that we weren't used to seeing in someone so young."

"He was my right-back, I had to keep him in line," Dias counters, acknowledging the importance of the veterans' guidance. After three seasons as a mainstay in Benfica's central defense, the Portuguese international moved to the Premier League in September 2020, joining Manchester City.

Bruno Lage, who managed Dias between 2019 and 2020, remembers the natural progression of the move: "He could have continued his career at Benfica and become a legend, but the move to a club with greater financial power was inevitable. He's a man who likes to joke around, but when it's time to work, he flips a switch."

Lage also reveals that Dias would stay on the pitch after every training session to improve his attacking headers from set pieces, practicing dozens of headers.

Five years, over 200 appearances, and 10 titles later with Manchester City, Dias, now 28, remains hungry for more: "I've already won trophies I never even dreamed of winning. Achieving this so early makes me want to win more. This year was a learning experience."