Dean Huijsen is already dreaming about a long-term future alongside Barcelona’s Pau Cubarsí at international level — and after watching the pair together, it’s hard to argue with him. The Real Madrid centre-back spoke glowingly about his Barça counterpart following their Nations League outing for Spain against Croatia on Tuesday night, making it clear this is a partnership he wants to nurture for years to come.
What Happened
Spain boss Luis de la Fuente selected Huijsen and Cubarsí as his starting central defensive pairing for La Roja’s Nations League clash with Croatia, handing Huijsen a significant opportunity in the process. It was a notable shift from the partnership of Cubarsí and Aymeric Laporte that proved so effective during Spain’s triumphant World Cup campaign over the summer — a run that ended in glory for the Spaniards.
For Huijsen, the call-up and subsequent start represented recognition of the strong form he has shown at club level for Real Madrid at the start of the current season. After the match, the former Juventus and Bournemouth defender spoke to reporters and didn’t hold back when it came to his feelings about the emerging partnership.
“The Huijsen-Cubarsí duo? It’s good. I think you can see the level he has,” the defender said. “We get along really well, and I hope it continues like this. Besides being a great player, he’s also a great guy. I hope we can share the dressing room for a long time.”
High praise coming from a man who knows a thing or two about top-level defending — and said with the kind of genuine warmth that suggests the chemistry between the two isn’t just tactical, but personal.
What It Means for Real Madrid
For Madridistas, this is an encouraging sign on multiple fronts. Huijsen arriving at the Bernabéu was always about the long game — a young, physically imposing defender with enormous potential who the club clearly view as a cornerstone of their defensive future. Seeing him rewarded with a Spain start, and responding to it with both a solid display and composed post-match communication, is exactly the kind of development supporters will want to see.
It’s also worth appreciating the broader context. Huijsen has already shown maturity beyond his years in club football, and being thrust into an international defensive pairing alongside one of Europe’s most hyped young centre-backs — in place of a World Cup-winning duo — is no small ask. The fact that he handled both the moment and the media attention with confidence says plenty about how far he has come.
From a purely Real Madrid perspective, a Spain squad featuring Huijsen thriving alongside another elite young defender is the kind of environment that accelerates development. International football exposes players to different systems, different attackers, and different standards of scrutiny. If Huijsen continues to impress at this level, it only reinforces his standing at the Bernabéu — and keeps the pressure on him in the best possible way.
What’s Next
The Nations League international break will wrap up shortly and attention will quickly return to club football, where Huijsen will be looking to continue the promising form that earned him this Spain opportunity in the first place. Real Madrid always demand consistency, and a defender who is cementing his place in the national team setup while performing week in, week out for Los Blancos is living the dream that very few manage to sustain.
As for the Huijsen-Cubarsí partnership — only time will tell whether De la Fuente makes it a permanent fixture or rotates back to the tried-and-tested Cubarsí-Laporte combination. But based on Huijsen’s own words, the Real Madrid man is fully invested in making it work. For Spain fans, that’s exciting. For Real Madrid fans watching their player step up on the biggest stages? Even better.
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