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 edition. Nicknamed ‘Ruby’, the Portugal international began his senior career at Benfica, progressing from the youth team to their B side in 2015. After 55 league appearances, he transitioned to their first-team, featuring in 91 league matches across four seasons.

His confidence and towering presence 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.