Rio Hillen

Rio Hillen (born 5 March 2003) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for club De Graafschap.

Early years
Hillen started playing football in the youth teams of AFC. In 2014 he transitioned to the youth academy of AZ.

On 11 June 2019, he furthered his development by joining Ajax. Following his move to Ajax, he maintained his presence in the U17 squad, notching two goals in 17 games. In the subsequent season, alongside appearances for U18 and U19, he made his debut for Jong Ajax in the Eerste Divisie as a substitute in stoppage time for Terrence Douglas during a 5–1 victory over MVV. Subsequently, Hillen began to feature more regularly in the reserve team.

De Graafschap
On 22 June 2022, Hillen signed a two-year contract with De Graafschap. He made his debut for the club on 7 August, the first matchday of the season, starting in a 2–1 loss to PEC Zwolle. On 30 January 2023, he scored his first professional goal, equalising in the 58th minute of a 1–1 draw against Jong Utrecht. He remained a starter for the remainder of the season, scoring twice in 39 appearances.

In October 2023, Hillen faced a setback with a knee injury during an away game against Jong AZ. The injury required surgery and kept him out of action for several months.

International career
Born in the Netherlands, Hillen is of Brazilian descent through his mother. He is a youth international for the Netherlands.