Young people from St Regis Church of England Academy had an unforgettable weekend when Manchester City defender and Portugal captain Rúben Dias, Patron of the Anti-Bullying Alliance, surprised them with a once-in-a-lifetime experience at the Etihad Stadium.
The group were the winners of the Team Talk Challenge, a national competition run by the Anti-Bullying Alliance as part of Anti-Bullying Week 2025: Power for Good. The challenge invited young people aged 13–16 to write and perform a short motivational team talk about how they can use their power for good to stand up to bullying in their schools and communities.
Rúben personally watched all shortlisted entries, providing individual feedback for each one before selecting the overall winner. He was so impressed with the creativity, humour, and inspiring messages in the videos that he recorded personal video messages for the winning and runner-up teams.
“The winning entry really stood out because it showed humour and heart,” said Rúben. “They captured what it means to support each other, show resilience, and be yourself. That’s the true power of teamwork.”
As part of their prize, the winners were invited to watch Manchester City play from Rúben’s personal box at the Etihad Stadium. There, they enjoyed an incredible matchday experience, celebrating their achievement in style and watching Manchester City’s 2-0 victory against Everton.
Martha Evans, Director of the Anti-Bullying Alliance, said:
“We’re so grateful to Rúben for his continued support and passion for inspiring young people to use their power for good. This competition has been an amazing way to help young people reflect on what teamwork, kindness, and standing up to bullying really mean.”
You can watch the winning Team Talk video, Rúben’s feedback, and photos from the day here.
We’ll be sharing the runners-up over the next few weeks in the build-up to Anti-Bullying Week 2025, which runs from 10–14 November.