Rúben Dias
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Dias with Portugal in 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Rúben dos Santos Gato Alves Dias | |||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 14 May 1997 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Amadora, Portugal | |||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Centre-back | |||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Manchester City | |||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2008 | Estrela da Amadora | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2015 | Benfica | |||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2017 | Benfica B | 55 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2020 | Benfica | 91 | (9) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2020– | Manchester City | 144 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013 | Portugal U16 | 5 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2014 | Portugal U17 | 18 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2016 | Portugal U19 | 21 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2016–2017 | Portugal U20 | 15 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2017 | Portugal U21 | 4 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2018– | Portugal | 68 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:18, 25 May 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 06:31, 9 June 2025 (UTC) | ||||||||||||||||||||
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 and the Portugal national team. Known for his aggressive style of play and leadership qualities on the pitch, he is widely regarded as one of the best defenders in the world.
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 as City secured a first-ever continental treble.
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 two FIFA World Cups (2018 and 2022) 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.