Spanish football has been thrown into mourning following the death of Tenerife striker Jesus de Miguel, who died after suffering severe head and chest injuries in a sickening collision during a second-division match.
The 30-year-old forward died at about 7am GMT on Tuesday, barely hours after the incident involving goalkeeper Jesus Owono during Tenerife’s clash with FC Andorra on Monday.
The game was heading towards its final moments, with both sides locked at 2-2, when the horrifying incident occurred seven minutes into stoppage time.
Owono had rushed towards the centre circle to intercept a long ball when his knee appeared to collide heavily with De Miguel, leaving the striker motionless on the pitch.
Medical personnel immediately rushed to his aid before he was taken by ambulance from Tenerife’s Estadio Heliodoro Rodriguez Lopez to hospital.
Owono was shown a straight red card for the challenge, while the referee abandoned the match as players from both teams struggled to contain their emotions. Several of De Miguel’s teammates were reportedly seen in tears.
Although his condition was initially described as stable but serious, his health reportedly deteriorated on Tuesday morning.
Spanish media, including Marca, reported that De Miguel suffered a cardiac arrest while being transported to hospital but was revived by paramedics.
Announcing his death, Tenerife described the development as an unbearable loss, expressing condolences to his family, teammates and supporters.
The club said it was heartbroken and urged the public to respect the privacy of his grieving family during the difficult period.
FC Andorra also expressed shock over the tragedy, sending condolences to De Miguel’s family, friends and teammates.
Former Barcelona defender Gerard Pique, who co-owns Andorra, wrote: “I am sorry with all my soul. Rest in peace, Jesus.”
De Miguel’s former club, Castellon, also mourned the striker, while La Liga president Javier Tebas described his death as an irreparable loss.
Real Madrid and France superstar Kylian Mbappe equally expressed sadness over the tragedy, saying there were no words to describe the loss.
A CAREER CUT SHORT
Born in Madrid, De Miguel began his professional career at Leganes in 2015 and went on to feature for several Spanish clubs, including Lugo, Fuenlabrada, Union Adarve, Navalcarnero and Unionistas.
He joined Castellon in 2023 and scored 16 goals as the club secured promotion to Spain’s second division the following year.
The striker moved to Tenerife in 2025 on a three-year contract and recorded 11 goals in 29 appearances.
He is survived by his daughter, Carla de Miguel Fernandez, born in 2025.
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