Manchester City defender Ruben Dias has been crowned the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year, the FWA have confirmed in a statement.
Dias, who signed for Man City from Benfica last summer, has scarcely put a foot wrong for the champions, as they overcame an early season wobble to secure top spot in the Premier League.
The impact he has had at the Etihad has been compared to Virgil Van Dijk’s arrival at Anfield, with both players transforming their respective sides from defensively fragile to defensively imperious.
Ruben Dias has now got his reward for his stellar performances, being crowned the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year, the first of potentially many accolades the 24-year-old will be awarded.
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BREAKING – Ruben Dias is the Footballer of the Year 2021. The @ManCity and Portugal defender beat Harry Kane and Kevin De Bruyne in our poll of almost 700 FWA members. More here: https://t.co/sQBPdbsAqM #FOTY21 #Dias @rubendias pic.twitter.com/Puv9UCoW4U
— The FWA (@theofficialfwa) May 20, 2021
Harry Kane could feel aggrieved for not having been chosen, with the Tottenham striker having scored 22 goals and provided 13 assists in 34 Premier League appearances.
That is, if nothing else, further evidence that Kane needs to depart Spurs this summer. Individual performances in struggling teams are frequently overlooked.
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