Real Madrid defender faces a crunch season ahead after mixed debut campaign | OneFootball

Dean Huijsen was one of the big Real Madrid players who faced omission from their respective national teams for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

In this case, the former Bournemouth defender was left out of the Spain squad, with coach Luis de la Fuente choosing for the combination of Pau Cubarsi, Eric Garcia, Mark Pubill and Aymeric Laporte, who has recently been offered to Real Madrid.

It is hard to argue against De la Fuente’s decision, as the combination of Laporte and Cubarsi has seen Spain concede just one goal so far this tournament.

Crunch season ahead for Huijsen

Huijsen must fight for his place in the starting eleven. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

The success of Cubarsi and Laporte will certainly leave Huijsen feeling that he has plenty to prove, and as reported by Diario AS, the coming season could be defining one for the centre-back.

Huijsen’s first season at the Bernabeu was very much a rollercoaster. He initially dazzled at the Club World Cup under Xabi Alonso, earning himself a starting berth and sending excitement among the Real Madrid faithful through the roof.

At just 20, he carried himself like a seasoned veteran in a position where experience usually counts for everything.

But the honeymoon period did not last long, as errors soon took its toll, with his lowest moment arriving on matchday 24 against Real Sociedad, when he conceded a needless penalty and was met with boos from sections of the Bernabeu.

His World Cup snub confirmed what had become an open secret, and it also marked the first time in history that Spain competed at the tournament without a single Real Madrid player in the squad.

Increased competition awaits

Huijsen will face increased competition this season. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)

Making matters more difficult, Huijsen will be heading into the new season only to find increased competition.

Real Madrid have already added Ibrahima Konate on a free transfer from Liverpool, a proven, experienced centre-back who arrives with the clear expectation of slotting straight into the starting eleven.

Jose Mourinho, meanwhile, is pushing the club to sign at least one more centre-back as he looks to completely overhaul his back four, with names such as Alessandro Bastoni and Tomas Araujo having been mentioned.

That leaves Huijsen with a genuine fight on his hands. There is, however, one factor working in his favour. He has played with Mourinho in the past at Roma and is, therefore, well aware of his tactical setup.

Whether or not that will translate to success remains to be seen.