Dean Huijsen: Embracing the Legacy of Real Madrid's No. 4

Dean Huijsen didn’t just get a new squad number. He stepped into a lineage.

With the departures of veterans like Dani Carvajal and David Alaba at the end of the 2025-26 season, Real Madrid’s dressing room lost experience and, just as importantly, some of its most symbolic shirts. Among them, the No. 4 – worn most recently by Alaba and immortalised by Sergio Ramos – suddenly lay vacant.

Now it belongs to a 21-year-old centre-back who grew up dreaming of exactly this.

A childhood built around a number

When Real Madrid unveiled their squad numbers for the new season, Huijsen’s name next to the No. 4 immediately stood out. The reaction from the player himself made it clear this was far more than a simple assignment.

He went straight to social media, calling it the fulfilment of a childhood dream, tightly bound to the image of Sergio Ramos, his biggest idol. As a boy, Huijsen didn’t just watch Ramos. He tried to become him. He laced up the SR4 boots, copied the swagger, and fixated on that number.

"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.

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

For a lot of players, a shirt number is routine. For Huijsen, it’s the closing of a circle he started drawing in his backyard.

The story gained another layer when Ramos himself replied to the post, offering a simple, pointed blessing: "I hope it brings you a lot of joy too." From legend to heir, the message could hardly have been clearer.

Hierro, Alaba and a heavy shirt

Ramos is the modern reference point, but at Real Madrid, the No. 4 carries a history that stretches back much further. Huijsen knows it.

In his message, he went beyond his childhood hero and touched on Fernando Hierro, another towering figure in the club’s defensive lore and one of the great centre-backs of his generation. The connection isn’t just historical for Huijsen; it’s personal.

"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.

One number, two legends, and now a young defender from the same city as Hierro trying to carve his place in that line.

He also made a point of recognising David Alaba, the man who vacated the shirt this summer and someone Huijsen actually shared a dressing room with last season.

"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."

Those are not throwaway acknowledgements. At a club where shirts become icons, Huijsen is fully aware he’s stepping into a role that has been defined by leaders, organisers, serial winners.

Mourinho’s new pillar

This is not just about nostalgia or sentimentality. Real Madrid’s decision to hand Huijsen the No. 4 is a clear statement of intent.

Jose Mourinho is building his defensive structure for the 2026-27 campaign, and Huijsen is expected to be a central piece of it. The number reflects that trust. You don’t give the 4 at Madrid to someone you see as a rotation option.

The Spain international has already shown the blend of composure, presence and personality that this shirt demands. Now he carries the visual symbol of that responsibility every time he walks onto the pitch.

He understands exactly what it means.

"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," he posted.

Then came the promise that will define him in the eyes of Madridistas: "What I do know is that I'll give it my all every single day, whether it's in training or in a match."

A new chapter for a legendary number

At Real Madrid, some numbers are just numbers. The No. 4 is not one of them.

Hierro turned it into the backbone of an era. Ramos transformed it into one of the most recognisable shirts in modern football, a symbol of defiance, late goals and big nights. Alaba added his own layer of class and versatility.

Now the weight shifts onto Huijsen’s shoulders.

The club believes he has the talent and the character to carry it. The player embraces the history rather than shying away from it. Between them lies a season that will begin to answer the only question that matters:

Can Real Madrid’s new No. 4 turn a childhood dream into a legacy of his own?