Dean Huijsen was born on April 14, 2005, to Dutch parents Donny Huijsen and Mascha Wijsmuller in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Later on, his family shifted to Malbera, Spain. He started off with the Costa Unida CF, and at the young age of 10, he was already turning heads at Málaga's youth academy. His father, Donny, spent time in Ajax's youth system; he was a player too, nicknamed “Maradonny”. The former Ajax player knew that his son could play at a professional level.
Dean's life included soccer-themed birthday parties, which are a hallmark of Dutch culture, and playing in the parks, which speaks to the Spanish culture, all while grooming him to become a world-class defender. The player now owns a Spanish citizenship too, which makes him eligible to play for the Spanish National team in the future.
Dean Huijsen, a 6 feet 5 inches tall center back, combines both physical dominance with technical finesse, which reflects his Dutch as well as Spanish roots. He has the ability to deceive any aggressive pressing playstyle due to his composure on the ball and the ability to shield it. Additionally, the player has adequate ball-playing ability, which was used by AFC Bournemouth to start their build-up. His ability to switch flanks with the help of precise long balls and his ball-carrying ability often make fans compare him to Gerard Piqué. His current team, AFC Bournemouth, and future team Real Madrid, which he is going to join before the Club World Cup, are best suited for his play style.
If we analyse more deeply, this season, Huijsen has recovered balls at the rate of 3.4/game and has helped AFC Bournemouth to keep 7 cleansheets in the Premier League. The G/A for the season 2024/25 is 4 so far. Huijsen’s versatility enables him to adapt to high-pressing systems or deep defensive lines. However, his occasional risk-taking with passes and developing positional discipline are areas for growth.