Dean Huijsen Takes Over Real Madrid's Iconic No. 4 Shirt

Dean Huijsen didn’t just get a new squad number. He walked into a legacy.

With the departures of long-serving figures like Dani Carvajal and David Alaba at the end of the 2025-26 season, Real Madrid entered the summer knowing several iconic shirts would change hands. None carried more weight than the No. 4. Once Fernando Hierro’s armour, then Sergio Ramos’ banner, most recently Alaba’s, it is a number that has come to define leaders at the heart of the Bernabéu defence.

Now it belongs to a 21-year-old who grew up wanting nothing else.

A childhood dream stitched into a number

When Real Madrid confirmed their squad numbers, Dean Huijsen’s name next to the No. 4 immediately stood out. The young centre-back went straight to social media, not to posture, but to explain just how deep this moment runs for him.

"It was always my dream to play for Real Madrid and wear the number 4. When I was a kid, my biggest idol was Sergio Ramos, who wore the number 4 and was a true legend for Real Madrid and for world football," he wrote.

This wasn’t a casual tribute. As a boy, Huijsen laced up Ramos’ signature SR4 boots, trying to mirror every tackle, every leap, every celebration.

"I still remember playing in his cleats, the SR4s, because I wanted to be just like him."

Now he steps into the same shirt that Ramos turned into one of the most recognisable in modern Real Madrid history. The connection is obvious, and the emotion is real.

Ramos saw it too. The former captain replied to Huijsen’s announcement with a simple message of support: "I hope it brings you a lot of joy too."

Walking a line of legends

Huijsen didn’t stop at Ramos. He understands that No. 4 at Real Madrid is not a one-man story.

"Before him, another football legend, Fernando Hierro, wore that number for Real Madrid and for soccer worldwide, but it feels even more special to me because he's from Málaga, just like me," he wrote.

That shared Málaga bond with Hierro adds another layer. Huijsen isn’t just stepping into a famous shirt; he is following a path worn by a defender from his own city who became one of the greats of Spanish football.

Then comes the present-day connection. Before Huijsen, David Alaba carried the number, and the young defender made sure to acknowledge the Austrian, a teammate last season and another reference point in that defensive lineage.

"Later, another great football legend wore it, and I had the pleasure of sharing the locker room with him. I want to thank the club, the president, the coach, the players, and all the fans of this great club."

Hierro. Ramos. Alaba. Three very different defenders, one shared number. Huijsen knows exactly what he is stepping into.

Responsibility accepted

Real Madrid’s No. 4 is not a decorative detail. It is a statement. At this club, it has come to symbolise authority, personality, and an ability to carry pressure when the stadium tightens and the stakes rise.

Huijsen addressed that head on in his Instagram message:

"I know this jersey number has a history filled with legends, and I hope I can write my own story—and that one day people will consider me worthy of having worn this jersey and this number.

"What I do know is that I'll give it my all every single day, whether it's in training or in a match."

There is no guarantee in those words, only commitment. No promises of becoming the next Ramos or the new Hierro, just a pledge to work until the comparison becomes a serious conversation.

For Real Madrid, handing him this shirt is a clear signal. The club is not treating Huijsen as a prospect on the fringes. It is backing his talent and his character, and doing so in the most public way possible.

Mourinho’s new pillar

All of this unfolds as José Mourinho shapes his defensive structure for the 2026-27 campaign. The departures of experienced names have opened space and responsibility. Huijsen is expected to fill both.

The Spain international has already shown enough for the club to believe he can anchor the back line for years to come. The No. 4 only underlines that belief. It marks him out as more than another young defender rotating in and out of the side. This is someone Mourinho plans to lean on.

Huijsen has the tools: height, composure, a willingness to defend aggressively, and the personality to handle the scrutiny that comes with this role. The shirt he now wears adds pressure, but it also offers opportunity.

From this season on, every tackle he makes, every aerial duel he wins, every mistake he survives will be judged through the lens of that number on his back.

The history of Real Madrid’s No. 4 is already written. The question now is simple: how much of the next chapter will belong to Dean Huijsen?