Dean Huijsen: 'I'm from Malaga and I’m not afraid of anything'

The 19-year-old Bournemouth defender, raised in Marbella, made his Spain debut against the Netherlands on Thursday

Pedro Luis Alonso

Sunday, 23 March 2025, 20:34

It's been a big week for Marbella-raised Dean Huijsen. The 19-year-old defender, born in Amsterdam but raised on the Costa del Sol, was subjected to boos from the Dutch crowd as he made his senior debut for Spain in their 2-2 draw against the Netherlands at De Kuip in the first leg of the Nations League quarter-final on Thursday.

Huijsen’s decision to represent Spain, after playing for the Netherlands at youth level, did not sit well with the Dutch supporters. Speaking to Cadena Ser after the match, he said, "The crowd is the crowd, and I just focus on playing."

The young talent acknowledged the reception but remained unfazed. "The boos? I expected them. I’m from Malaga and I’m not afraid of anything," he said.

Huijsen, son of former Ajax and AZ Alkmaar player Donny Huijsen, left the Netherlands for Spain at the age of five. He came up through Malaga CF’s academy before moving to Juventus at 17.

Now playing for Bournemouth in the Premier League, he was called upon in the 41st minute to replace the injured Pau Cubarsí. His inclusion in the squad only came after Barcelona's Íñigo Martínez’s withdrawal from the squad due to injury.

The tallest in Spain's history

Standing at 1.97 metres, Huijsen is the tallest outfield player ever to play for Spain’s senior team, matching goalkeeper Robert Sánchez in height. He came on during a difficult phase of the match, shortly after the Netherlands had equalised.

Although he wasn't at fault for the home side’s second goal, he was unable to prevent Jeremie Frimpong’s breakaway which led to Tijjani Reijnders’ strike. Despite the pressure, Huijsen remained composed and contributed effectively, demonstrating his comfort on the ball and strong defensive instincts.

He also showed his ability going forward, launching a late long-range shot that was Spain’s penultimate chance before Mikel Merino’s stoppage-time equaliser.

Reflecting on his debut, Huijsen told RTVE: "It’s a dream for me to make my debut with the national team and I’m delighted. Playing in this team is a pleasure and we have a really good squad."

Spain will play the return leg at Mestalla on Sunday night, with Huijsen likely to feature again. "There are still 90 minutes left. We’ve got a good result away but I think we can do more," he concluded.

Top 50

Esta funcionalidad es exclusiva para registrados.

Reporta un error en esta noticia