Not only has Hilton been omnipresent, he's also been one of the best performers, and has already been signed up for one more season at least. Hilton is described as an "example" by his coach Rolland Courbis and a "good leader" by his former team-mate Olivier Giroud, while goalkeeper Geoffrey Jourdren says he is "blown away by him".

Montpellier's outspoken president Louis Nicollin salutes the veteran's clean lifestyle and reckons Hilton can keep going for longer than the Cameroonian great Roger Milla, who played on well into his 40s. So what is it that keeps Montpellier's evergreen defender ticking along?

"If you really want to have a long career you have to make a lot of sacrifices. You have to sleep well, eat well. You have to train the same way you trained when you were 17, 18. At the start you have this great desire, but that can be eroded away through the years. But not me. That desire to play football has stayed with me," Hilton told The Ligue 1 Show on beIN Sports.

"A lot of people thought that at my age I wouldn't play every match. With experience you can get away with running less. As I say to my friends, I take a lot of shortcuts. I don't run so much because I anticipate a lot, and that's why I can play so many games and stay focused to help the team. It's one of my best seasons in Ligue 1. I don't think I played this well even during my title-winning seasons."

Odyssey

Hilton's Ligue 1 odyssey started back in 2004 when the former Paraná and Servette player arrived in Corsica to play for SC Bastia.

"I didn't know the club much when I arrived. The thing that really sticks in my mind is the way the Bastia fans welcomed me. They didn't know me, but I knew straight away I could relax knowing that the fans would be behind me," said Hilton, who soon moved on to RC Lens.

"Whether the team's doing well or struggling, the Lens fans are always present. I had four amazing seasons at Lens. My last year was hard because I had injuries and the club went down to Ligue 2, there were a lot of problems, but Lens are a club that I'll carry with me in my heart forever."

'Fabulous'

After four years in the North, Hilton headed back to the Mediterranean, joining French giants Marseille in 2008.

"Joining Marseille, a club I already knew about when I lived in Brazil - one of the biggest clubs in France - well, it was fabulous for me," he said.

In Marseille, Hilton crossed paths with the man he describes as "the most gifted player" he's ever played with: Hatem Ben Arfa.

"Hatem has an extraordinary talent. When he really wanted to dribble past you, he just did it. In that case, the only way to stop him is by fouling him," said the centre-back, who moved to Montpellier in 2011 after making just eight Ligue 1 appearances in his last season at the Stade Vélodrome and won the league in his first campaign at the Stade de la Mosson.

Montpellier 'almost the perfect team'

"Montpellier opened the doors for me after my difficult period at Marseille. I think a lot of people were doubting me again. I wanted to show people that I still had the quality and the talent to play in Ligue 1. And I was rewarded with another league title."

Hilton was the rock upon which Montpellier's 2012 title triumph was founded, forming a tremendous partnership with Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa in central defence.

"I got on very well with Mapou. Even if he was young he listened a lot and on the pitch he gave everything. We also had a strong midfield with Younès Belhanda, Giroud in attack. Really, it was almost the perfect team."

Montpellier's ageless skipper is confident of reproducing his faultless displays next season. And, who knows, maybe even beyond 2016.

"If I could keep going to 40, why not? I’m almost 38 now, I'd need to play two more seasons. I'll try keep going for a couple more years."