Background and career
Rúben dos Santos Gato Alves Dias (born 14 May 1997) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Premier League club Manchester City, which he captains, and the Portugal national team.
Dias came through Benfica's youth academy. He began playing for Benfica B in 2015 and was promoted to the first-team in 2017, and was named the Primeira Liga's Young Player of the Year. The following season, Dias won the league title in the 2018–19 season with Benfica and later the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira during the 2019–20 season, while also being named in the Primeira Liga's Team of the Year, making over 100 appearances in the process.
He signed for Premier League club Manchester City in September 2020 for a reported fee of €68 million, becoming the second-highest fee for a Portuguese player leaving the domestic league. Dias won the league title and EFL Cup in his first season, while also reaching the UEFA Champions League final. He was also named FWA Footballer of the Year, Manchester City Player of the Year, Premier League Player of the Season and the UEFA Champions League Defender of the Season in 2021. In 2022–23, he played a crucial role in defence as City secured a first-ever continental treble, their most successful season to date.
Dias is a former Portugal youth international, representing his country at under-16, under-17, under-19, under-20 and under-21 levels. He made his senior international debut in 2018, being chosen in Portugal's squads for three FIFA World Cups (2018, 2022 and 2026) and two UEFA European Championships (2020 and 2024); he also won the 2019 and 2025 UEFA Nations League Finals, being named in the 2019 team of the tournament on home soil and man of the match in the final.
Rúben dos Santos Gato Alves Dias was born on 14 May 1997 in Amadora, Lisbon District. He has an older brother Ivan, who is also a professional football player, who nicknamed him "Ruby". Growing up, his idols were John Terry, Nemanja Vidić, Rio Ferdinand, and Vincent Kompany, whom he looked to emulate, as he aspired to play in the Premier League from an early age. He would play football wherever he could on the streets or in his house with his brother Ivan.
