Stylish on the ball, strong in the air
and an anticipation king, the 42-
year-old Brazilian centre-back is the
French league’s never-ending story.
The years pass, the hair lightens and
the facial wrinkles deepen, yet he is
still a first choice for Montpellier.
No non-French player has made
more Ligue 1 appearances – 474
by early January – but those that
matter at Montpellier are split on
what to do with a player who is in
his ninth season with the club.
Club president Laurent Nicollin
wants him to call it a day at the end
of the season and join the coaching
staff, while first-team boss Michel
Der Zakarian argues that he is far
from a spent force on the pitch.
Hilton attributes his longevity to
no smoking, no alcohol, no fast
food, no night clubs, no late nights.
He does, though, like a coffee.
“It’s my vitamin shot,” he laughs.Vitorino
HILTON
MONTPELLIER
Daniel BAIER
AUGSBURG
There are generally three types of
player: the attacking/creative game-
changer, the grafter, and the sort of
footballer whom by word and deed
makes those around him better.
The 35-year-old Augsburg midfield
holder and skipper is a fine example
of the latter category.
Once of Munich 1860 and
Wolsfburg, he is now in his 12th
season with Augsburg yet boastsneither a high profile or the services
of a pundit lobby.
More often than not he is only
truly appreciated in his absence,
when his intelligence is missed.
“He brings a calmness to our
game,” says Augsburg general
manager Stefan Reuter. “He doesn’t
give the ball away and always is
looking to receive it. He keeps the
pressure off us.”Rafael
DEFENDI
FAMALICAO
Goran
PANDEV
GENOA
After 17 seasons in Italy, with six
different clubs, the Macedonian is as
relevant as ever. Still as passionate
and enthusiastic about the game as
he was at the dawn of his career,
the 36-year-old is the beating heart
of Genoa, always energised and
never short of technical magic.
Able to slip into in a variety of
roles – either as a second striker,
on the wing or as an attacking
midfielder – he has two specialities:
locating pockets of space between
the lines and spectacular goals,
the latest of which was a 40-metre
special delivery in a 2-2 draw at
Lecce in December, an audaciously
executed effort, controlling a
clearance from opposition keeper
Gabriel and immediately firing into
the unguarded net.
He is his own nation’s most-
capped player and their all-time
leading marksman, although he
also became an Italian citizen
last year.They say that goalkeepers improve
with age and that adage certainly
applies to the 36-year-old Brazilian
who has provided the platform for
Famalicao’s transformation from
Portuguese top-flight new boys into
Champions League hopefuls.
Prior to joining Famalicao from
Pacos Ferrerira on a free transfer in
the summer of 2018 he
was regarded by many as
being damaged goods,
spending much of his final
season on the bench.
He was 30 when he
moved to Europe, leaving
the Bragantino club in his
homeland for Pacos. He
had, however, spent the
2007-08 season on loan
at Portuguese side Aves.
And he has shown
great powers of recovery
after suffering a fractured
skull while playing for
Famalicao last term.3
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