Spain's narrow scoreline is the core result, with the final stats reading 2-1 in the UEFA Nations League. The highlights, however, were tied to Huijsen's return. He came back to the national team after missing the 26-player World Cup squad, a decision that sparked debate around Spain's defence.
Huijsen described the omission as painful for him and his family, while stressing the importance of being back and focusing on the positives. His starting role against Croatia put him back into the competition for defensive places under Luis de la Fuente.
For Spain, the match summary is a win over Croatia and a platform for Huijsen to rebuild his place in the group. For the defender, the night combined a positive football result with an honest account of the disappointment behind his return.
Our pre-match analysis called this one correctly. These picks were backed before kick-off and landed after the final result.
1X2: Home @1.21
Pre-match pick: Spain are favored and the prediction expects them to win 2-0.