Real Madrid defender Dean Huijsen has issued a public apology after sharing social media content that was widely described as racist.
The 20-year-old Spain international, who joined Real Madrid from Bournemouth last season, faced backlash after reposting a video on his Instagram page. The post quickly sparked outrage among fans, especially in China.
The incident has added fresh tension to an already heated debate around racism in football. Moreover, it comes at a sensitive time for the Spanish giants, who are currently caught in a separate racism controversy involving Vinicius Jr.
In response to the criticism, Huijsen released a statement on Real Madrid’s official Weibo account. The platform is one of China’s largest social media networks.
He wrote: “I sincerely apologise to my Chinese friends. I previously forwarded content that included offensive messages unintentionally. It was completely unintentional, and I regret the distress caused.”
The post was written in Chinese and aimed directly at Chinese supporters.
The original reel, which has since been deleted, appeared to contain offensive comments. One comment read:
“Even the Chinese call him Chinese,” while another user posted: “You could blindfold him with dental floss.”
Although Huijsen did not write the comments himself, the repost was seen as endorsement by many followers.
The Dean Huijsen apology has therefore become part of a wider discussion about racism in football. Real Madrid have previously supported Vinicius Jr in several high-profile racism cases. However, this situation has placed the club under renewed scrutiny.
Meanwhile, UEFA is investigating separate allegations involving Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni. Claims were made that he racially abused Vinicius Jr during a recent Champions League clash.
The match was halted for 10 minutes after referee Francois Letexier signalled alleged racial abuse with a crossed-arms gesture. Kylian Mbappe claimed Prestianni insulted his teammate five times.
However, according to reports, Prestianni told UEFA he used a homophobic slur instead of the word “mono.” He insisted his opponent “misinterpreted what he thinks he heard.”
