Shock Real Madrid Player Tipped for Ballon d’Or by Premier League Chief

Eight players in Real Madrid history have taken home soccer’s most prestigious individual prize.

Karim Benzema was the last Real Madrid player to win the Ballon d’Or. | Alberto Gardin/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images

Bournemouth president of football operations Tiago Pinto claimed Real Madrid summer signing Dean Huijsen is the “only center back” that can win the Ballon d’Or one day.

After a breakout season with the Cherries, Huijsen’s stock rose so spectacularly that Los Blancos paid a record-breaking £50 million ($67.2 million) for the Spain international ahead of the 2025–26 season. The 20-year-old became the most expensive defender in club history.

Huijsen had a bright start in a white shirt at the Club World Cup and in the early stages under former boss Xabi Alonso, but his form took a dive in October and he has yet to fully return to the level needed to play at Real Madrid.

Still, Pinto backs the former Bournemouth standout to reach extraordinary heights as he continues to grow and evolve his game. “I’ll give you a headline: For me, he’s the only center back who can win the Ballon d’Or. That’s what I think of Dean Huijsen,” he told MARCA.

“He plays with his right foot, with his left ... He’s tall, he scores goals and he has spectacular technique. I insist, for me, of the players I know, he’s the only central defender who can win the Ballon d’Or.”

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Huijsen Expected to be a Future Leader at Real Madrid

Dean Huijsen has had an inconsistent seven months at Real Madrid. | Manu Reino/DeFodi Images/DeFodi/Getty Images

Huijsen made the move to the Spanish capital with lofty expectations, not just because of his price tag, but also because of his five-year contract. Real Madrid put their faith in the 20-year-old to one day become the new leader of their defense.

After all, Antonio Rüdiger is 32 years old and in the final six months of his contract. David Alaba is a year older and also expected to leave the club this summer. Éder Militão will therefore be the only veteran center back left at the Bernabéu, and the 28-year-old’s extensive injury history makes him an unreliable figure at the back.

The pathway for Huijsen to rise and eventually assume full control of the team’s backline is clear, and he could bring a silkiness on the ball that his current fellow center backs and even club legends like Sergio Ramos never had. Yet his confidence at the minute is lacking.

“I’ve had quite a few injuries lately and I finally feel physically fit,” Huijsen told Movistar+ after Real Madrid’s 6–1 rout over Monaco. “I’ve been playing injured for two or three months, unable to sprint properly. I’m happy to feel good because the level I was playing at wasn’t my best.”

Huijsen returned from injury in the Spanish Super Cup final against Barcelona, and was the worst defender on the pitch. One week later against Levante, new boss Álvaro Arbeloa pulled him 60 minutes into the game after several head-scratching, nervy decisions.

The center back then put in a sublime showing against Monaco, looking more and more like the player Real Madrid signed over the summer.

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Pinto Calls for Patience Amid Huijsen’s Struggles

Dean Huijsen has only made four appearances in 2026 so far. | Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto/Getty Images

It has no doubt been a whirlwind seven months for Huijsen, who signed with Real Madrid in May and then made his debut one month later at the Club World Cup. Since then, the Spaniard has amassed 26 appearances in a white shirt, played in his first Clásico and Madrid derby, suffered nagging injuries and then saw the club swap Alonso for Arbeloa on the touchline.

Perhaps there have been more growing pains than expected, both on and off the pitch, for Huijsen in his move from the Premier League to La Liga, but Pinto has all the confidence in the exciting talent.

“You can’t expect them to ‘devour’ Real Madrid in six months. They’re a huge club. They have to learn and develop other things,” Pinto said.

Huijsen has the chance to make up for his shaky start at Real Madrid by putting in a solid second half of the season. The team is only one point off Barcelona atop the La Liga standings and currently sit third in the Champions League table with one match left to play.

With so many injuries hindering Los Blancos’ defense, Arbeloa needs Huijsen to take his game to the next level if the Spanish giants want to contend for trophies.

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