Huijsen Takes On Real Madrid's Iconic Number 4 Shirt

The number 4 shirt at Real Madrid is not just fabric and ink. It is a lineage. And from this season, it rests on the shoulders of Huijsen.

The club have confirmed their squad numbers for 2026-27, with the young defender stepping out of the anonymity of 24 and straight into one of the most storied jerseys in Madrid’s history. For a boy from Malaga who grew up idolising Sergio Ramos and tracing the footsteps of Fernando Hierro, this is not a cosmetic change. It is a statement.

Huijsen made sure the moment did not pass quietly. On social media, alongside a picture of his new shirt, he laid bare what this number means to him. Playing for Real Madrid had always been the dream. Wearing the 4, the same digit that Ramos turned into a brand and a symbol, took it to another level. He recalled lacing up Ramos’ SR4 boots as a kid, trying to copy every tackle, every leap, every celebration. Before Ramos, there was Hierro, the iron spine of both Madrid and Spain, another giant from Malaga. That shared origin gives the shirt an extra weight for Huijsen, a sense of continuity rather than simple nostalgia.

This season will test whether he can carry it.

2026-27 Campaign

The 2026-27 campaign has already been framed inside the club as decisive for his trajectory. His first year in the capital delivered flashes of why Madrid brought him in: composure on the ball, aggression in the duel, a defender who looks at home in big stadiums. But the promise came with a price. Inconsistency crept in, mistakes multiplied, and his form dipped badly enough that Luis de la Fuente left him out of Spain’s World Cup squad. For a player on the verge of international consolidation, that omission hurt.

He did not disappear. He responded.

A strong finish to last season hinted at a reset. More assured performances, better decision-making, fewer lapses. Now he has something else in his corner: a full pre-season under Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese coach’s sessions at Valdebebas are not for the faint-hearted, and the defender has thrown himself into that regime, hoping to turn raw potential into reliability. Madrid do not hand out the number 4 to passengers.

Huijsen understands that as clearly as anyone. In his message, he thanked the club, the president, the manager, his teammates and the fans, fully aware that this shirt has been worn by players who defined eras, not just seasons. He spoke about wanting to write his own story, to reach a point where people look back and feel he was worthy of the number. The promise he made was simple: he will give everything, every day, whether it is a training session in the shadows or a match under the lights.

The number’s story does not end with Hierro and Ramos. It has a more recent custodian too. Before it became vacant, David Alaba wore the 4 and brought with it his own authority and versatility. Alaba’s decision to leave the club opened the door for Huijsen, but the youngster is not treating his predecessor as a mere footnote. He credits the Austrian as one of the best teammates he has met in the sport, a constant presence in the dressing room whose influence stretched far beyond the 90 minutes on the pitch.

Alaba’s work ethic, his willingness to help, his leadership in difficult moments – those are the standards Huijsen has seen up close. Those are the standards he now has to live by while carrying the same digit on his back.

Real Madrid have given him the number. The history, the pressure, the expectations all arrive with it. What comes next will decide whether Huijsen becomes just another name in the list, or the next chapter in one of the club’s most iconic shirts.