Huijsen receives maiden senior Spain call-up for Nations League quarters

Bournemouth Center-Back Dean Huijsen was first called by Spain for their upcoming quarter-final draw against the Netherlands.

Huijsen, who played the Andoni Iraola team this period, has replaced Barcelona's Inigo Martinez, who sustained a knee injury in their 4-2 victory over Atletico Madrid on Sunday.

The 19-year-old represented the Netherlands at youth level before switching to the Spain's Under-21s in March 2024, which appeared six performances.

The Huijsen displays led the Cherries to the 10th in the Premier League, with the possibility of achieving European football this season a real opportunity for Bournemouth.

Over his 23 trips in the top, only Antoine Semenyo (52) and Illia Zabarnyi (57) have won more air duels in front of the Iraola side than Huijsen (48).

He also completed 884 passes, a total that was only improved by Lewis Cook (918) and Zabarnyi (1,030), while he also helped the Cherries to play five clean sheets while playing.

“Inigo Martinez is excluded from the Spanish national team team due to a right kneebrand problem,” said the Royal Spanish football federation in a statement.

“In his place (Spain Manager), Luis de la Fuente Dean Huijsen van Bournemouth called.”

𝗢𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟 | Dean Huijsen Sustituye A Iñigo Martínez and La Convocatoria de la @sefutbol

El Defensa del @afcbournemouth, convocado para la sub-21, se une a la absuta para disputar los cuartos the final de la #uefanationsleague

pic.twitter.com/pndbygf76

– Selección Española Masculina de Fútbol (@sefutbol) March 17, 2025

Spain will also be without Barcelona midfielder Marc Casado, who sustained a knee ligament injury against Atletico and can be put aside for at least two months.

Aleix Garcia van Bayer Leverkusen is mentioned as a replacement for Casado in the team.

Real Madrid defender Raul Asencio has also received his first call-up from Spain for the matches against the Netherlands after a series of impressive displays for Los Blancos.

Spain, who won last year's European Championship, travels to Rotterdam on Thursday to see the Dutch in the first stage of the Nations League Quartals before they organized in the Mestalla Stadium on 23 March.