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Spain’s national team coach has responded to Real Madrid defender Dean Huijsen’s apparent online jab after being left out of the 2026 World Cup squad.

Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente has addressed the subtle criticism directed at him by young Real Madrid defender Dean Huijsen.

The Spanish national team announced its 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup on Monday, 25 May 2026, local time.

Leading a star-studded team like La Roja naturally puts De la Fuente in a position of making tough decisions.

To maintain team balance, De la Fuente is believed to have selected only those players who showed the most consistent performances throughout the season.

As a result, several Spanish players from Real Madrid were left disappointed due to the club’s recent dip in form, including Dean Huijsen.

Huijsen’s exclusion came as a surprise to many.

The 21-year-old centre-back had captured attention when Real Madrid signed him from Bournemouth in the summer of 2025 for a remarkable transfer fee of 50 million euros.

Initially, his move to the Santiago Bernabéu was expected to pave the way for his inclusion in the World Cup squad.

Unfortunately, things did not turn out as planned for the Dutch-born defender.

Although he made 40 appearances for Los Blancos this season, his performances apparently failed to convince De la Fuente.

Huijsen made his senior debut for Spain in a friendly match against Egypt last March, but even that was not enough to secure his place in the final squad.

Shortly after his omission, Huijsen reacted by resharing a social media post originally uploaded by his father, Don Huijsen.

The post featured a graphic from the statistics website Sofascore, highlighting Huijsen as one of the top-rated defenders in La Liga this season.

According to those statistics, Huijsen had better ratings than several defenders called up by De la Fuente, including Barcelona duo Eric Garcia and Pau Cubarsi.

When asked about this subtle social media dig, Luis de la Fuente responded calmly.

He stated that he is not active on social media and thus was unaware of the post.

At the same time, he expressed understanding toward his player’s frustration.

“The thing is, I didn’t know about it. I’m not active on social media,” De la Fuente said, as quoted by BolaSport.com via Tribuna.

“I understand that players and teammates who are not selected might feel disappointed.”

“However, there is always an element of respect that must be maintained.”

“Even though, as I said, I don’t know what he posted, I can understand his frustration.”

“We must appreciate those who show respect for their teammates.”

“It’s not a big issue. He’s still young and has a lot to learn.”

“Over time, he will realize what truly matters — respect and friendship,” the 64-year-old coach added.