'Exceptional, almost unique!' - Vitinha told he has 'no limits' and should aim for Ballon d'Or as stunning Champions League hat-trick blows Blaise Matuidi's mind

Following Vitinha's stunning hat-trick in the 5-3 Champions League victory over Tottenham on Wednesday night, former PSG midfielder Matuidi heaped praise on the 25-year-old Portuguese international. Speaking to L'Équipe, Matuidi, once a key figure at PSG and a 2018 World Cup winner with France, expressed his amazement at Vitinha's current level.

‘It's exceptional, almost unique," Matuidi said. "We don't realise how rare it is for a midfielder to score a hat-trick. I think this performance says everything about his game and what he has become. He can do everything." Vitinha's goals came in the 45th, 53rd and 76th minutes, the last of which was a penalty, helping PSG secure a vital win in a thrilling contest.

Matuidi went even further in his praise, asserting that Vitinha has now reached the pinnacle of his position globally. "He's perhaps the best midfielder in the world today," Matuidi declared, lauding his game intelligence, passing accuracy, work rate, and ability to deliver complete performances consistently.

"His intelligence on the pitch, his ability to take in information faster than others and his accuracy in the final pass. And more recently, there's the diversity in his shots. He has a very wide range," he added, before comparing him to former team-mate Thiago Motta. "Thiago had exceptional game intelligence. Vitinha has this ability to always be in the right place. The difference lies in mobility. Vitinha is a different player in the sense that, in order to set the tempo, he needs to be constantly on the move and close to the forwards."

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The level of Vitinha's performances has led Matuidi to envision a golden future for the midfielder, saying: "It feels like he'll never stop progressing. At 25, he hasn't yet reached his prime. I don't see any limits for him. And so, potentially, he's capable, like Luka Modric did one season, of winning the Ballon d'Or. For a midfielder like him, he'll inevitably be more dependent on the team around him than a striker, but he's capable of it. However, I don't think he's thinking about it. Because from what I see, Vitinha thinks first and foremost about the team, about the group's success. But his qualities speak for themselves. And that's what makes him a unique player.

"He doesn't say much, he's discreet on social media, but on the pitch, he makes a lot of noise (laughs). He's perhaps the best midfielder in the world today. In any case, if there's an envelope with a few names in it, he's in there."

Vitinha's heroics were crucial for the defending champions, who currently sit second in the Champions League standings with 12 points from five matches, three points behind leaders Arsenal. The victory over Tottenham was significant in solidifying their position high up the table and, with three games left in the round, leaves them on the cusp of securing a place in the last-16 without having to navigate a play-off tie. Other goals for PSG on the night came from Fabian Ruiz and Willian Pacho, while Richarlison and Randal Kolo Muani scored for Tottenham, with Lucas Hernandez receiving a red card for PSG in stoppage time.

Vitinha, who spoke of his surprise after the first hat-trick of his professional career, will hope to inspire PSG to another win this weekend when they take on fierce rivals Monaco on Saturday. A week later, they host Rennes in the French capital before returning to Champions League action against Athletic Club.