Real Madrid and Spain defender Dean Huijsen has issued an apology after sharing social media content that was widely condemned as racially offensive.
The 20-year-old, who joined Madrid from AFC Bournemouth last season, reposted a video to his Instagram account, which has 5.2 million followers. The clip quickly drew backlash, with many users accusing him of promoting racist remarks.
Huijsen later apologised via Real Madrid’s official Weibo account, writing in Chinese: “I sincerely apologise to my Chinese friends. I previously shared content that unintentionally included offensive messages. It was never my intention, and I deeply regret the hurt caused.”
The original post, which has since been deleted, reportedly featured comments about the individual in the video. One comment read, “Even the Chinese call him Chinese,” while another stated, “You could blindfold him with dental floss.” The remarks sparked outrage, with many users demanding accountability.
Some critics questioned the club’s silence, pointing out that Real Madrid has previously taken a strong stance against racism, particularly in defense of forward Vinicius Junior. Others warned of potential backlash from Chinese supporters if the issue was not addressed promptly.
The controversy comes amid ongoing scrutiny involving Vinicius and Gianluca Prestianni of S.L. Benfica. According to reports, Prestianni told UEFA that he used a homophobic slur rather than a racist term during Benfica’s recent Champions League clash against Real Madrid.
European football’s governing body is investigating allegations of discriminatory behaviour after claims that Prestianni called Vinicius a “monkey” while covering his face during the match at the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon. The game was halted for 10 minutes by referee Francois Letexier, who made the crossed-arms gesture used to signal reported racial abuse.
Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe alleged that Prestianni directed racist remarks at his teammate multiple times. However, the Argentine midfielder has denied using the Spanish word “mono” (monkey), insisting his comments were misheard and that he did not make a racist statement.
