Real Madrid and Spain defender Dean Huijsen has issued a public apology after sharing social media content that was widely criticised as racially offensive.

The 20-year-old centre-back, who joined Real Madrid from AFC Bournemouth last season, reposted a video to his Instagram account, where he has more than 5.2 million followers. The content quickly drew backlash, with several users branding the post racist.

Huijsen subsequently apologised via Real Madrid’s official Weibo account, one of China’s largest social media platforms. Writing in Chinese, he said:

“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 original post, which has since been deleted, appeared to feature comments referencing the individual shown in the video. Among the remarks were statements including: “Even the Chinese call him Chinese,” and, “You could blindfold him with dental floss.”

The incident prompted calls for clarification from supporters online. Some questioned the club’s response, referencing Real Madrid’s public stance against racism in recent seasons. One user wrote:

“While Real Madrid is speaking out against racism, Huijsen is making racist remarks against Chinese people. Why hasn’t the club responded? Does your anti-racism stance only apply when Vinicius Jr is the one being discriminated against?”

The controversy comes amid heightened scrutiny over alleged discriminatory conduct involving Madrid forward Vinicius Junior during a recent Champions League fixture.

Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni is currently under investigation by UEFA following allegations of discriminatory behaviour during last week’s match between Benfica and Real Madrid.

The fixture, held at Lisbon’s Estádio da Luz, was halted for approximately 10 minutes by referee François Letexier after he made the crossed-arms gesture used to signal reports of racist abuse.

Initial claims suggested Prestianni directed a racial slur at Vinicius Jr, allegedly calling him a “monkey” while covering his face. However, according to reports, the Argentine midfielder has told UEFA investigators that he did not use the term “mono” — Spanish for “monkey” — but instead directed a homophobic insult, insisting his words were misinterpreted.

The investigation remains ongoing.