Published on July 27, 2025 | Last Updated on 3 weeks
“Real Madrid is the club of my live since I was a child. Since they called, I had no eyes for others”.
— Dean Huijsen, June 2025, DURING HIS SPEECH AS A NEW MADRID PLAYER
“This is the best day of my life”.
Bio/Wiki | |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Dean Donny Huijsen Wijsmuller |
| Nickname(s) | • Fernando Hierro • Chill Guy |
| Profession | Footballer |
Physical Stats & More | |
| Height (approx.) | 197 cm (6’5″) |
| Weight (approx.) | 87 kg (192 lbs) |
| Hair Colour | Brown |
| Preferred Foot | Both |
| EA Sports FC 25 Rating | 68 (Standard) 83 (Team of the Week) 94 (TOTS Evolution) |
Football | |
| Professional Debut | January 8, 2023 for Juventus Next Gen vs. Pordenone (age 17 years, 8 months, 25 days) |
| International Debut | March 22, 2024 for Spain U21 vs. Slovakia U21 (age 18 years, 11 months, 6 days) |
| International Career | ➤ Netherlands U17: 2022 (11 caps, 2 goals) ➤ Netherlands U18: 2022–23 (4 caps, 0 goals) ➤ Netherlands U19: 2023–24 (3 caps, 0 goals) ➤ Spain U21: 2024 (7 caps, 1 goal) ➤ Spain (Senior): 2025 (4 caps, 0 goals (as of early June 2025) |
| Clubs | • Real Madrid (2025 – Present) • Bournemouth (2024 – 2025) • Roma (loan – 2024) • Juventus (2023 – 2024) • Juventus Next Gen (2023) |
| Position | Defender – Centre-Back |
| Jersey Number | — #24 (for the LaLiga club Real Madrid) — #12 (for the Spain National team)  — #2 (for Bournemouth during the 2024-25 seasons)  — #3 (for AS Roma during his 2024 loan time)  |
| Current Team | Real Madrid |
| Transfers and Loans | — January 6, 2024: Juventus ➝ Roma (loan) — July 2024: Juventus ➝ Bournemouth (€15.2 m + add-ons, Juventus 10% sell-on clause) — June 2025: Bournemouth ➝ Real Madrid (£50 m / €58 m, including Juventus and Málaga clauses) |
| Coach/Mentor | José Mourinho, Daniele De Rossi, Andoni Iraola, Xabi Alonso |
| Notable Records | ➤ Youngest player to score for Bournemouth in the Premier League on December 5, 2024 against Tottenham ➤ Most expensive defender in Real Madrid history after £50 million move from Bournemouth in May 2025 ➤ First Bournemouth defender to rank top five in Premier League for interceptions and aerial duels during the 2024–25 season ➤ Led Real Madrid in passes and interceptions during the 2025 Club World Cup, including 127 successful passes and 31 line-breaking attempts across his first two matches ➤ Helped Bournemouth go on the longest unbeaten run in club Premier League history with 11 consecutive matches in 2025 |
| Awards, Honours, Achievements | Individual Awards & Nominations • Bournemouth Players’ Player of the Season 2024–25 • Nominee: PFA Young Player of the Year 2024–25 Team Honours • Coppa Italia Serie C runner-up 2022–23 with Juventus Next Gen • UEFA European Under‑17 Championship runner-up 2022 with Netherlands U17 • UEFA Nations League runner-up 2024–25 with Spain senior team |
Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | 14 April 2005 |
| Age (as of 2025) | 20 years |
| Zodiac sign | Aries |
| Nationality | Spanish, Dutch (dual citizenship; represents Spain internationally) |
| Place of Birth | Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Residence | Madrid, Spain |
| College/University | No record of college education |
| Religion | Muslim |
| Ethnicity | Dutch |
| Hobbies | Playing football, Travel (visited UAE in 2021, Los Angeles in 2023) |
| Controversies | • Faced rumors linking his family to organized crime through his father’s past associations with individuals involved in the Freddy Heineken kidnapping; widely reported by Dutch media including VoetbalPrimeur and OneFootball. [1] • Admitted in a public interview that his “sleepy eyes” led to speculation about marijuana use; he strongly denied it, calling it a misunderstanding and emphasised compliance with doping control rules. [2] • Was sent off with a straight red card in Real Madrid’s Club World Cup quarter-final against Borussia Dortmund; received a one-match suspension confirmed by official disciplinary reports. [3] |
| Social Media | — Instagram — TikTok |
Relationship & More | |
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Girlfriend | No confirmed partner |
Family | |
| Parents | Father – Donny Huijsen (former professional footballer, forward; played for Jong Ajax and other Dutch clubs) Mother – Mascha Wijsmuller  |
| Siblings | Two older brothers (Donny and Daimen) |
Favorites | |
| Team | Real Madrid |
| Footballer | Fernando Hierro, Sergio Ramos |
| Destination | Los Angeles, USA |
Financial Status | |
| Salary (weekly) | €173,000 at Real Madrid |
| Salary (approx.) | €9 million per annum at Real Madrid |
| Net Worth | Estimated £2 million (as of 2025) |
| Market Value | €60 million per transfermarkt |
Dean Huijsen Goalscoring Breakdown
| Team / Competition | Years | Appearances | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Real Madrid | 2025–Present | 0 | 0 |
| Bournemouth | 2024–2025 | 32 | 3 |
| Roma (loan) | 2024 | 13 | 2 |
| Juventus | 2023–2024 | 1 | 0 |
| Juventus Next Gen | 2023 | 27 | 1 |
| Spain (National Team) | 2025–Present | 4 | 0 |
| Club World Cup | 2025 | 5 | 0 |
From 127 appearances across competitions, Dean Huijsen has delivered 23 goals — a testament to his consistency
What You Never Knew About Dean Huijsen
▪ Before becoming a central defender, Dean Huijsen played as a striker until the age of 9. His youth coach eventually moved him to defence due to his height, ball control, and vision where he later excelled as captain and primary penalty taker.
▪ Dean’s father, Donny Huijsen, helped him master his weaker foot by making him practice crossbar challenges and drills using only his non-dominant side giving him rare balance as a modern defender.
▪ Thanks to his upbringing in Marbella and international career, Dean speaks Dutch, Spanish, Italian, and English fluently. This has helped him adapt quickly in different dressing rooms.
▪ His earliest emotional football memory was Sergio Ramos’s goal in the 2014 Champions League final, which made him fall in love with Real Madrid and dream of wearing white one day.
▪ Although born in the Netherlands, Dean chose to represent Spain internationally, saying: “I feel Spanish… this feels like home to me.”
▪ After signing for Real Madrid, Dean was personally welcomed by Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappé via direct messages and private chats, something he described as “unexpected but deeply motivating.”
▪ During his final weeks at Juventus, he was forced to train alone after tensions with the coaching staff but he used the difficult moment as fuel to grow, later calling it “a bad but defining period.”
▪ When Huijsen made his Spain debut in Rotterdam, his father reminded him that he had also played at the same stadium making it a full-circle moment for the family.
Moments in Pictures for the Real Madrid Star Dean Huijsen
Dean Huijsen with Florentino Pérez when he signed for Real Madrid 
Dean Huijsen alongside Madrid family 
Dean Huijsen first time with Real Madrid jersey 
Just a chill guy! 😊 
Dean Huijsen and his Father 🤍 
Dean Huijsen: Real Madrid is the club of my live since I was a child. Since they called, I had no eyes for others 
The rise of Dean Huijsen from Malaga to Real Madrid. 
Dean Huijsen won Player of the Season Award at Bournemouth before departing for Madrid
Frequently Asked Questions
Juventus sold Huijsen because the club needed funds and did not trust him firmly in their first team plans. Despite his potential, they opted to sell him to Bournemouth for around €15.2m, later regretting the decision.
Dean Huijsen was born in the Netherlands but moved to Spain at age five. He holds both Dutch and Spanish citizenship. He has chosen to represent Spain at senior international level.
Real Madrid activated Huijsen’s €59–60 million (£50 million) release clause to sign him from Bournemouth. Juventus received around €5.8m through a sell-on clause.
Dean is ethnically Dutch. He was born in Amsterdam and is of Dutch descent; he moved to Spain for his football development but remains Dutch by heritage.
Although he represented the Netherlands at youth levels (U17–U19), he chose to play for Spain at senior level after gaining Spanish citizenship in early 2024. He feels Spain is his home, having lived there since childhood.
About the Author
Samuel Ibiok is a passionate football journalist and digital publisher with a sharp eye for storytelling. From detailed player biographies to breaking transfer news and hilarious football memes, I bring each post to life with energy and authenticity. My work blends accuracy with creativity, all driven by a deep love for the beautiful game. Read full bio »
