- Dias crowned Football Writers’ Association Player of the Year
- The City defender beat team-mate Kevin De Bruyne and Tottenham’s Harry Kane to scoop the award
Ruben Dias has been named the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year in his debut season with Manchester City.
Dias, signed from Benfica for £64million last summer, has established himself as arguably the top centre-back in the division and helped City regain the Premier League title, win the League Cup and in the finals of the Champions League.
The Portuguese international beat team-mate Kevin De Bruyne, Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes and Tottenham’s Harry Kane to the prestigious award.
Dias is the first defender to win the award since Liverpool’s Steve Nicol in 1989 – more than three decades ago. He is also only the third player to be named FWA Footballer of the Year in his first season at a club, following Jurgen Klinsmann at Tottenham (1995) and Gianfranco Zola at Chelsea (1997).
The FWA revealed that Dias was a ‘comfortable’ winner ahead of Kane in second and De Bruyne in third place.
The 24-year-old has enjoyed an outstanding debut season in England after making the move from Portugal last September, playing 48 times in all competitions and scoring once.
