According to The Athletic, Mourinho is very satisfied with Huijsen's performances in preseason and said he trusted Huijsen greatly when he coached Roma.

Huijsen is Real Madrid's most expensive center-back in history. In May 2025, he transferred to Real Madrid from Bournemouth for £50 million, a fee that surpassed the €50 million the club paid for Militão in 2019.

This summer, after Alaba left as a free agent, Huijsen took over the No. 4 jersey. The shirt once belonged to his idol Sergio Ramos, and he had quietly aspired to wear that number since joining Real Madrid.

However, we have not yet seen Huijsen's best level at the Bernabéu, and it is precisely for this reason that the 21-year-old player may have a breakthrough season.

Huijsen started brightly at the Club World Cup in the United States but then became embroiled in Real Madrid's tumultuous 2025-26 season. Initially, his ball-playing style seemed to fit perfectly with the tactical philosophy of new coach Xabi Alonso.

But in the first Madrid derby of the season in September, a 2-5 loss to Atlético Madrid, his inexperience was fully exposed. Militão suffered a muscle injury and did not return until late March, compounding Huijsen's difficulties, as the Brazilian center-back's presence made Huijsen much more comfortable.

Huijsen himself was also plagued by injuries, having suffered three consecutive thigh injuries before the La Liga winter break.

Many unnamed sources in this article revealed that the root cause of the injuries was the intense schedule over the past year, with high-intensity matches taking a heavy toll on his body.

He subsequently lost his starting spot, and his confidence plummeted. Passes he once handled with ease frequently went astray, and defensive errors became more common than usual.

Alonso's sudden departure in January and Arbeloa taking over the reins completely destabilized the team, further worsening Huijsen's situation. In Real Madrid's 2-4 loss to Benfica in the final round of the Champions League group stage in January, and then in the home match against Rayo Vallecano, Huijsen was one of the players booed by the Bernabéu fans.

"That's what the Bernabéu demands," Huijsen told reporters after the match. "In a way, it's a good thing; it means Real Madrid fans have expectations of me. They believe in me and know I can do better. Every player goes through a dip in form, and injuries only make things worse."

Huijsen later emerged from his slump, successfully limiting Haaland in both legs of the Champions League round of 16 against Man City, helping Real Madrid eliminate their opponents 5-1 on aggregate. However, in the second leg of the quarter-finals against Bayern, he did not get any playing time, and Real Madrid were eliminated from the Champions League.

Those close to Huijsen believe that the match could have been a turning point in his season, but instead it dashed his hopes of going to the World Cup with Spain.

Although Huijsen made a good initial impression on national team coach de la Fuente after changing his nationality from Dutch to Spanish, repeated injury absences cost him his place in the national team. Real Madrid's poor performance throughout the season also affected the national team coaching staff's assessment of him, and de la Fuente ultimately chose to call up Atlético Madrid's Puerta.

Those close to Huijsen believe that much of the external criticism has been unfair and have defended his overall performance throughout the season. After Spain's squad announcement, Huijsen's social media account retweeted an unofficial selection of La Liga's best XI of the season, which included him, and the list was originally published by his father.

Before the World Cup began, de la Fuente addressed this in an interview: "I don't use social media, so I don't know if he retweeted that content. I understand that this player, and other teammates who were not selected, will feel bad. But even if he did retweet it, it doesn't matter. He is still very young and still in the learning and growth stage."

Spain ultimately won the second World Cup title in their history, and Huijsen downplayed the controversy. After the squad announcement, he wrote on social media: "Congratulations to all my teammates selected for the World Cup. I will cheer for you at home, just like all Spaniards."

Missing the World Cup gave him a chance to rest. Before Real Madrid's preseason began, he returned to Marbella, the southern Spanish city where he grew up, and completed a personal training program to return to the team in the best possible physical condition.

Mourinho's appointment as Real Madrid coach may be another great opportunity for Huijsen. In January 2024, it was Mourinho who played a key role in facilitating his loan move to Roma, and this experience in Serie A paved the way for his move to the Premier League. During this preseason, Mourinho has given him full trust.

Huijsen has always maintained a good relationship with Mourinho's coaching staff, who are satisfied with his preseason performance. In last Sunday's final warm-up match against Schalke 04, he even scored a brilliant header from a corner kick. Throughout the summer, Mourinho has also stayed in close communication with him.

Rüdiger has extended his contract for another year, but Huijsen is expected to partner summer signing Konaté as the starting center-back next season. The first half against Schalke 04 was their first time playing together at center-back, and their partnership showed many positive signs.

Huijsen's talent has never been questioned. However, after several major errors, the club has asked him to improve his concentration, and he still has plenty of room for growth. Perhaps Mourinho can provide another turning point in his career.

At present, Huijsen looks ready to deliver a standout performance. Perhaps this will be the season in which he firmly establishes himself as a Real Madrid regular.

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