He will captain his side this year despite turning 42, so it’s fair to say that Montpellier’s Vitorino Hilton has been around long enough to know what it takes to lead a team.
L’Equipe reported on some of Hilton’s views on his fellow countryman Neymar. It’s clear that the former Ligue 1 winner has the maxium respect for Neymar but doesn’t see him as the ideal leader.
Hilton said: “He is not tough enough in the head to be a leader in the field. We saw with the Copa America. In Brazil everyone was saying, ‘Luckily he was not here’.”
Hilton did praise Neymar’s ability but believed there were too many distractions surrounding the PSG superstar. He went on to say: “He is a fantastic player, there is nothing to say. But we talk a lot about his little problems outside the field, his private life. That’s what stopped Neymar from being really good in Ligue 1, even though he’s been one of the best players in recent seasons.”
The Montpellier captain also told L’Equipe it was great to play against Neymar but he believes he wants to leave.
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Hilton is one of the most respected players in Ligue 1 and it’s rare to hear him speak out so he must feel strongly about Neymar.
Hilton’s story is extraordinary, he signed a one-year contract with Montpellier in 2011 expecting it to be a short stay. He has gone on to win the league with them and continues to be one of the best defenders in the league despite his age.
Neymar’s antics and attention seeking tendencies make him a polarising player, but there’s no doubt he’s amazingly talented, especially when you consider he has 34 goals and 21 assists in 37 Ligue 1 games.
However he’s been supplanted by Kylian Mbappe as PSG’s main attraction, and it remains to be seen where he will be playing his football this season as The Daily Record linked him with a move to Barcelona again today.
