Rúben Dias - The Football Interview

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1:00Welcome to the Football Interview, Rue and Dea. Shall we start with what's life like under Anzheimer? It's good, it is exciting, many different details that in a way make the whole situation different, but at the same time still very much of things that we used to believe in in order to put our game into place and to attack a team and to be ourselves. But obviously these details make very different and obviously we buy them into them a lot, they make sense and we're just affecting them as much as we can every day that goes by. Tell me about these details, what does he do differently? I can't tell you too much. No, you don't have to give me all of your tactics, but maybe he approaches training sessions differently, maybe talks to you differently. Yeah, I mean there's obviously many things from training sessions to some details about the way we press, details about the way we defend, and that makes all of these his and makes it Anzheimer's idea. I feel like everything is making a lot of sense, everyone's buying into the idea, everyone's excited about it. I mean there's a lot of

2:04joy in training, which is important things there. As we walked across here I joked with you that you've lost all of your friends, because it hasn't just been Pep Guardiola that's left, does it? We spoke to Bernardo Silva last season, he said you were his best mate here, he's gone so many players have gone, what's that been like for you? It's sad in a way, because obviously we were more than colleagues, we were most of us, we were very, very good friends and close friends, and we won so much together, so there's many memories involved. But at the end of the day it's the life, it's football, so we need to adapt, we need to move forward, we need to create new connections, when I come here I didn't know any of them, and now it's a moment where so many new players have joined and it's time to build these connections and be strong again. And you're one of the leaders as well in this squad, how has it changed your role, the fact that you're one of the last ones standing I suppose, one of the players that won so much here? I've been in the group of captains since after my first season. You've lost my system now, you're one of the only ones left. Yeah, but in terms of the role I have, it goes down to trying to be the best version of yourself,

3:08and in terms of that nothing has changed. Now obviously so many people have left, and so many winners have left, and now new people have joined with a lot of ambition and people that want to are dying desperate to win, and that's also what makes the club keep on going. Has it almost rejuvenated you, re-excited you about the possibility of being part of this rebuild? Yeah, I mean everything ends up exciting you, and last season when I signed my new contract I signed that because I was already excited about staying here and looking forward to however many years I'll stay and you got to enjoy every single second of it and every training session. The joy of being here, the joy of being available, and being in this context where you can win everything, and you've got a club to match your ambition. It's an opportunity for you people have in their lives and I'm here for it. Let's go inside and talk a little bit more about that joy and some of the moments that have come. Let's go. So has this summer of change give you an opportunity to reflect on everything that you and the squad achieved under Pep Guardiola?

4:12Yeah, I mean for sure, but then just move forward. I knew you were going to say that. I can tell from your mentality you're always on a little forward. I feel like maybe I'll do more of that when I finish my career a little bit, but then as well there's going to be other things that will keep my mind working, but now it's obviously been appreciative of everything that happened. Smile while looking at it because it was beautiful, but then look forward and be excited for what's coming. There were so many high points under Pepers. I came here and I was thinking about what to ask you. I was like, how do you ask someone that's won everything? What the highlight has been? Is there a moment that really stands out to you that's been particularly special here? I mean the highest mountain was definitely the travel season. After the Champions League, after winning the Premier League, then you win the FA Cup, it builds up. You would think if we win a Premier League just it's already unbelievable. If we just win a Champions League, it's unbelievable, but then to win the three of them. And then to be on that final game knowing that all of that is at stake and when you do it, it was probably the most emotional I felt in my life.

5:18Really, just because of the magnitude of it. Not even emotional as in about crying, just the amount of feelings that were going through my mind and the realization of everything that happened. And very mind, this was my third Premier League in a row. My first season when I came, the all the talk and all the things that go through a player's mind in this first season. And I had the joy to win a Premier League in my first. But then as well, after to win four Premier League's in a row, which I felt like it was a great achievement. I mean, there's many moments, but definitely I would say the travel. That was the pinnacle. Do you think we've perhaps seen since just what an incredible achievement it really is because there was talk last season of could arsenal do it. But no one's actually really come that close. Do you think now we all appreciate just how big a achievement it was? Yeah, I mean, history told you so. Only one team had done it before before. So that just tells you how difficult it actually is to pull off,

6:23to be able to be successful in all of them at the same time in this country, in these league. But again, it's in the bus. It's beautiful. And in his time, I believe I'll look back at it and be very happy with it. But now I'm just very much in the moment and just enjoying every second of what's coming. I can tell you just wanted it forward, but I am interested in your backstory as well because we talk a lot about one club players. They're so rare, but two club players are pretty rare as well. And that's pretty much what you are, isn't it? Ben Fika and Manchester City. Yeah, I mean, I grew up in Ben Fika and I had three amazing years in the first team. And it was amazing to have the opportunity. And then you reach a certain level Ben Fika where you want to reach the sky. And I came here for it. And these clubbers allowed all those ambitions and dreams to be possible to become a reality. So I will obviously forever be grateful to both of them.

7:26And they shaped without a doubt who I am. You mentioned there you were at Ben Fika through all of the A-trieps. How did you start in football? What kind of your earliest memories of it? My parents, my dad, he never really wanted me and my brother to play football because he was a football person, even. It was in it and he had a lot of people that were in the world and he always saw it very rotten. So he just as much as he, I mean, he didn't push his away but he didn't push pull us into it. So we were doing all sorts from karate, we were swimming a lot and just trying different stuff. You any good at anything else? I was always. Yeah, I mean, I feel like I'm good at different things but I was obviously better at football. But then even one time in school, a friend of mine asked me to join this club, Sterelda Madona, which was my first club from where I was born and there were recruiting players at that time. And I was just

8:28playing in school and because I was good in school, the guy told me, as you want to come do a trial and then I asked my dad and then he was like, are you guys sure? Like if you're going in, like go fooling. I'll support you whatever but be sure of the decision you make and now it's just me and my brother, which is completely diving into it. So, so yeah, eight years old, we started and then I was two years at Sterelda Madona and then I went to Bimfeca. What did your dad think of it all now? He must be quite pleased that you almost went against him to come into this world. Not really against him. It was always happy that we was adamant of pursuing what we wanted to pursue and when football became something we both really wanted. He just supported it full on and I have a lot to thank him and my mom because they they were the most supportive parents with our being obsessed. They were not obsessed by the idea of me or my brother becoming a footballer and as such, then having a certain life. They were just obsessed and supportive of us enjoying life

9:31and doing things that we liked and being happy. That's why my dad never really pushed us into football because he was just like guys just be happy, be free spirits and just go alive. My small thing is that. But then obviously when we got a bit more serious about it, then he also made us learn what it means to sacrifice in order to pursue a dream and obviously to be connected and to have responsibility towards something and obviously that was gradual but it was a process that happened and obviously happened in a very successful way because I believe both me and my brother more than good at anything that we might do. We both very good-hearted people and with good values that were most definitely instructed by my mom and dad. So I feel like at the end of the day that it's the biggest victory and even now I got two days off, I managed to go to my dad's small town where he's from and I could see how happy he was for both of us being there in this moment of our lives where we could just maybe not really be interested about it but we was there

10:35other 50 members of the family with that and it was just beautiful, yeah. Are you quite a deep thinker? Yeah, I would say I am, yeah. I can tell from all of your answers like everything's so in depth it feels like do you feel this deeply and think this deeply about football and the rest of life? Do you think of everything a lot? Yeah, I mean I feel like I'm a good intense person towards life, towards my personal life, towards work, I mean I'm intense on the beach, I feel like it's very easy to see but it's because I do the things I believe in and I do them with with all my heart, I put everything on it and yeah I feel like that's the way life is worth living here. So if you're going to do something you're going all in? Yeah, but I also know when to relax and when to not give too much importance to something that doesn't deserve it. How do you relax? How do you online? Because you said your intense on the pitch but you also know the importance of enjoying life. How do you get away from it? I mean I'm quite easy, I love to be home, I love to watch movies,

11:37love my shows, I love to be surrounded by my family, I spend a lot of time alone in Manchester and I love to just get out of training, get home and just peace and quiet. I mean I'm very happy with the most simple things as long as I'm at peace and peace with myself, I'm cool knowing that I'm doing the best possible, I can in every angle of my life, I'm cool, I love when my family is around though, I love when you're... Are you family over here? No, they're not here now. That must be tough. It's cool because I also enjoy my own company and I feel like that's a very important step for one to have. I'll go to dinner by myself, I'll go to the movies by myself and I enjoy it. Cool. It's nice not to have to answer to anyone sometimes, just to what you enjoy. When you're with family I feel like one of the biggest joys of being with family is that you know you can be in the same room without saying anything and you will enjoy it so much just because you're in that level of comfort. So yeah. It feels like I mean you're going to hit 30 next year, aren't you? Yeah. There's nothing wrong with that by the way, I'm in my 30s, it's great. But it feels like you're very at peace, you've achieved so much but you've still got so much left that you want to do. Yeah, I feel

12:41like at peace, yes, that translate, my translates a lot my moment but I'm excited about all of this and all the things with the club, the new manager, new players, a new challenge, guys that I was so close with leaving the law of life, the circle of life, you can call it and it's just our things are and I'm appreciative of all of it, I'm appreciative of the memories I have with all the ones that left and I'm excited with the memories about the memories I'm going to make with the ones that I've just arrived and I'm still very ambitious. I took the decision of being at this level because I feel I've won so much but maybe the thing that would be my biggest reward would be to be here so many as playing at this level and I've been the consistency of being ambitious for so long. So yeah, I'm excited, think excited these are what? I checked and your birthday is in May, that could be some party couldn't it, when all the trophies happen, that's where city normally

13:44are and you'll be 30 as well, perfect way to celebrate. I mean I'm not too funny about my birthday, I don't like being the centre of attention so I'm very casual. Well I told everyone about it now, sorry about that. Yeah, I mean anyway it doesn't really matter because I'm not too funny about it, I'll be happy with dinner with my family, we went these last birthday, my parents and my brother they came here for my birthday, I took them to the restaurant, the restaurant was empty, we still had a great time though. Well okay well maybe if you don't want a big party you'd love a trophy celebrate your birthday. Yeah for sure, for sure. Good luck with it and enjoy whatever celebrations you have. Thank you.

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