Dean Huijsen opens up on 'very sad' World Cup snub after making Spain return in 4-1 Croatia thrashing

Huijsen returned to Spain's starting line-up as the newly crowned world champions swept past Croatia 4-1 in their first home fixture since lifting the trophy. The young defender produced an accomplished 90-minute display at the Sanchez-Pizjuan alongside Real Madrid team-mate Marc Cucurella to seal three Nations League points. That composed outing delivered the ideal personal response following the bitter disappointment of missing out on the final tournament squad during the summer.

De la Fuente's decision to omit Huijsen from his 26-man World Cup party had dealt a painful blow to the central defender. Speaking to reporters in the mixed zone after the final whistle, Huijsen said: "It was quite tough for me. In the end, it was a very sad moment for me and my family. The important thing is to be back, and we have to focus on the positives."

Huijsen's omission in the summer generated intense debate as it left Spain's World Cup squad without a single Madrid player for the first time in 92 years. De la Fuente instead prioritised alternative defensive options including Pau Cubarsi, Aymeric Laporte, Eric Garcia, and Marc Pubill. Forcing his way straight back into the starting eleven confirms the former Juventus centre-back remains firmly in the coach's long-term international plans.

A comprehensive victory in Seville extended Spain's remarkable unbeaten sequence to 40 matches, opening up a three-point cushion at the summit of Group A3 ahead of both England and Croatia. De la Fuente's side will look to tighten their grip on the section when they face Czechia on Saturday. For Huijsen, this commanding display provides the perfect platform to re-establish his claims in a fiercely contested battle for central defensive berths.