Manchester City captain Ruben Dias recently gave an exclusive interview to NBC Sports, where he discussed the changes Manchester City has undergone with a new coach and player movements. He also expressed his excitement about continuing to maintain the team's high standards and winning under Guardiola's leadership. The following is the second part of this exclusive interview.

Over the years, watching you play alongside legendary players in Manchester City's history has truly been a great pleasure. In the past, you had Rodri and Bernardo Silva in midfield. This summer they have left the team, and the club has invested heavily in highly talented new recruits. Can you talk about the understanding between center-backs and central midfielders? How should this understanding be developed? Considering that you partnered with those legendary midfielders for a long time in the past, and now everything is new with a group of excellent young talents in front of you, how is the chemistry progressing? Please tell us about this integration process.

Yes, building this understanding does take time. It requires both sides to play together on the field and gradually establish a mental connection. To summarize, it's essentially forming absolute belief in each other: no matter what happens on the field, you must firmly believe that I will always be there to support you, and vice versa. With each player's individual ability, determination to win, and ability to make the right decisions at critical moments, cooperation will naturally follow. But ultimately, I think the most crucial point is establishing complete trust in each other. Players come and go, and every time you have to start over and rebuild this trust system. This integration process is actually very beautiful, because it's like any relationship; you have to invest effort into it. These subtle efforts make you feel secure on the field, knowing that your teammates will support you no matter what. Every time you hesitate or make a small mistake, someone is there immediately to resolve the situation. It is through this mutual support that the team builds confidence and trust, and everyone becomes better as a result.

And up front, there's always a teammate ready to step up, and that's Erling Haaland, who can always break through defenses and score. Look at his incredible form; his performance for the Norwegian national team was astonishing, and his goal-scoring pace hasn't stopped. Can you talk about what qualities make him so unstoppable and difficult for opponents to defend? I think this is especially interesting for you, because you defend against him almost every day in training, so you must have a deep understanding of Haaland's exceptional abilities and how difficult it is for defenders to stop him.

I think if I had to pinpoint one quality that sets him apart, it's the effortless way he scores goals. I believe this is a talent and a gift to some extent, something very few people possess. He makes scoring look incredibly easy, which is precisely one of the most difficult things to do in football. Furthermore, since he joined us last season, it has been wonderful to see him mature and develop in a leadership role, and to see him readily accept and do his utmost to fulfill those responsibilities. So overall, we are very fortunate to have him fighting alongside us. He is ambitious, fearless, always ready to face future challenges, and deeply committed to this club's future. We are all moving forward together on the same journey.

Looking ahead, tell me about your aspirations for Manchester City and the Portuguese national team. For Manchester City, the goal is naturally to continue winning various championships. As for the Portuguese national team, you will host the World Cup at home in 2030. Playing at home, what does this mean as a focal point and long-term goal for you? How wonderful it would be to wear the national team jersey and compete in the World Cup on your home soil – this must be a major goal for you, right?

These are indeed goals, but I also know that I must never take anything for granted, so I focus on taking each step as it comes. Live each day to the fullest, enjoy every moment, and focus on every match in front of me. This is my true mindset: to stay healthy and always be ready to step onto the field and give my all for the team, whether for the club or the national team. The national team will also embark on a new phase under the new coach, and I believe this will be a wonderful journey. So overall, I am full of anticipation for everything ahead; I am living the life I dreamed of and enjoying every single second of it.

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