Manchester City defender Ruben Dias believes the Portugal squad has been made stronger by an increase in players playing in the Premier League.
Dias is again a part of the Portugal squad for this international break, having established himself as a key player for them since making his debut in 2018.
He is one of several Manchester City players in the squad alongside teammates Joao Cancelo and Bernardo Silva.
Indeed, the Portugal squad is now a very Premier League centred affair, with no fewer than 12 players in it all plying their trade in England’s topflight.
That’s a far cry from the past, when a bulk of the Portugal squad could be found playing their domestic football at home in the Liga Portugal.
Now a large portion call the Premier League home, playing for the likes of Manchester City, Wolves, Manchester United, Liverpool and Fulham.
That means they’re playing in the best, and toughest, league in Europe on a weekly basis, something Dias thinks is helpful for the country’s chances of international success.
“I simply believe that the more players we can have in the best leagues, the better for us,” O Jogo report him saying.
“Hence comes quality and experience, because they are in one of the most difficult contexts in football. It makes us prepared and makes us stronger, whatever the context.”
