Rico Lewis says Manchester City have one of the best leaders “in the world” in their squad.
City’s roster is likely full of big personalities who aim to win at all costs, which is why the club’s trophy cabinet has been full to the brim in recent seasons.
Lewis’ claim could apply to a whole host of his teammates.
Kevin De Bruyne might not be a leader in the same vein as Vincent Kompany in terms of marshalling the troops and barking instructions on the pitch.
But De Bruyne, much like David Silva leads by example; which is the true mark of a leader.
Similarly, Bernardo Silva tends to go about his business quietly but for a majority of his seven seasons at the Etihad Stadium, he has done his talking on the pitch, which highlights how he likes to take the onus and deliver.
Kyle Walker and Rodri are perhaps like old-school leaders who also have players who also back their talk on the pitch.
However, it seems like the pair are not afraid to speak their minds in the dressing room.
Rico Lewis says City star is one of the best leaders in the world
After being dropped for the Champions League final against Inter Milan, Walker gave an inspirational speech that was a part of their treble-winning documentary, demanding them to give it their all on the pitch.
The 33-year-old must have realised that it was time for him to put his feelings to one side and instead, push his team to victory, which they did thanks to an unforgettable winning goal from Rodri.
Speaking of the Spaniard, he too gave a speech inside the dressing room that was a sign of the fact that he has one of the biggest voices in this City team.
When Rodri speaks, his teammates seemingly listen.
Much like Kyle Walker, the 27-year-old also told his teammates about how many were prematurely adjudging Arsenal as champions-elect in the Premier League title race last season.
Rodri sent this message to drive the club to go for glory in the title fight against Mikel Arteta’s side.
However, Rico Lewis was referring to Ruben Dias in terms of being a world-class leader.
“Ruben [Dias], his mentality is the biggest asset that’s so clear and one of the best in the world in how he leads everyone.”
“He looks at himself first before he looks at everyone else. He leads by example”, he said about the £62 million man [via Manchester City’s official website].
Much like Rico Lewis, even John Obi Mikel noticed how much of a strong leader Ruben Dias was during Manchester City’s 2-1 win against Luton Town this season.
What stood out about Manchester City defender Ruben Dias from day one
From the day he signed, perhaps Rico Lewis noted like the rest of the world how Ruben Dias looked like a natural leader.
It seemed like City had signed an heir to Vincent Kompany in terms of bringing in a lionhearted presence in the centre of defence who had no qualms about barking orders at his teammates.
Usually, when a player signs at a club, it takes time for them to embrace such responsibilities.
But Dias seems to be cut from a different cloth to most and perhaps this very mentality is what drives him to be a truly elite player.
As Manchester City face Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals, Ruben Dias’ leadership will prove to be crucial.