Dean Huijsen Inherits Real Madrid's No. 4 Jersey

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

With the departures of senior figures like Dani Carvajal and David Alaba at the end of the 2025-26 season, Real Madrid’s dressing room shifted. Among the vacant shirts, one number stood out more than the rest: the No. 4. The jersey worn by Fernando Hierro. The jersey defined in the modern era by Sergio Ramos. Most recently, the jersey carried by Alaba.

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

A childhood dream, now on his back

When Real Madrid unveiled their squad numbers, Dean Huijsen’s name landed next to that fabled digit. The reaction was immediate. He went straight to social media, not to posture, but to explain what it meant.

"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 choice. As a boy, Huijsen laced up the SR4 boots, trying to imitate the defender whose blend of authority, aggression and decisive goals came to define an era at the Bernabéu.

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

The connection has now come full circle. The kid who copied Ramos’ boots now inherits his number in the same stadium, under the same pressure, with the same badge over his heart.

From idol to endorsement

The story didn’t end with Huijsen’s post. Ramos himself saw the message and responded, a nod from the man who turned the No. 4 into a symbol.

"I hope it brings you a lot of joy too," Ramos wrote.

It was brief, but it carried weight. An unofficial passing of the torch. A reminder that at Real Madrid, numbers are not distributed lightly.

For Huijsen, now a Spain international and no longer just a prospect, the timing is significant. José Mourinho is building his defensive structure for the 2026-27 campaign, and handing Huijsen the No. 4 is as much a tactical statement as an emotional one. The club clearly sees him as a central piece, not just another young defender waiting his turn.

Walking with Hierro, learning from Alaba

Huijsen didn’t limit his tribute to Ramos. He widened the lens and acknowledged the full weight of the shirt’s history.

"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 connection with Hierro deepens the symbolism. The No. 4 at Real Madrid isn’t just about one era or one style of defender. Hierro brought leadership and goals from deep long before Ramos did. Alaba then added his own versatility and calm, sliding between centre-back and full-back, helping guide a new generation in the dressing room.

Huijsen made sure to recognise that, too.

"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."

He’s not inheriting an empty shirt. He’s stepping into a space once occupied by players he has trained beside and grown under.

A number with real weight

At most clubs, the No. 4 is just a defender’s number. At Real Madrid, it’s a statement.

Hierro gave it gravitas. Ramos turned it into one of the most recognisable jerseys in world football, his No. 4 synonymous with late winners, Champions League nights and a defiant, never-beaten mentality. Alaba carried that legacy into a new cycle, bridging eras.

Huijsen knows exactly what he’s taking on.

"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’s no promise of replicating Ramos’ career or Hierro’s record. Just a commitment to the work, every day, under a coach who demands exactly that.

Mourinho’s new pillar

For Real Madrid, assigning Huijsen the No. 4 is more than a romantic gesture. It’s a public vote of confidence.

The club believes he has the talent and personality to carry the shirt, and Mourinho is not known for handing out symbolic roles without purpose. The 21-year-old looks set to be a central figure in the Portuguese coach’s defensive plans for 2026-27, with the number on his back mirroring the responsibility on his shoulders.

The history of the shirt is written already. The pressure is built in. From this season on, the question is simple: how much of that story will Dean Huijsen make his own?