Spanish football has been left mourning the death of Tenerife striker Jesus de Miguel after the 30-year-old suffered serious injuries in a collision during a second-division match against FC Andorra.
De Miguel sustained head and chest injuries following a heavy challenge involving Andorra goalkeeper Jesus Owono during Monday’s 2-2 draw. The incident occurred seven minutes into stoppage time, when Owono rushed towards the centre circle to deal with a long ball and collided with the forward.
Owono was shown a straight red card, while the referee subsequently abandoned the match. De Miguel received treatment on the pitch before being taken by ambulance to hospital.
His condition was initially described as stable but serious. However, his health deteriorated on Tuesday morning, and he died at 07:00 GMT.
Reuters reported that Spanish police had opened an investigation into possible involuntary manslaughter following his death. Under Spanish law, a non-natural death automatically triggers a judicial inquiry.
Tenerife paid tribute to their player in an emotional statement.
“Heartbroken, with a lump in our throats and unable to believe this is true,” the club said. “There are no words of comfort; there is absolutely nothing that can lessen this overwhelming sadness.”
Andorra, who were involved in Monday’s match, also expressed their condolences to De Miguel’s family, team-mates and friends. The club’s co-owner Gerard Pique and several prominent figures in Spanish and international football, including Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, also paid tribute.
The Spanish Football Federation announced that Tuesday’s scheduled Copa del Rey and Copa de la Reina fixtures would be postponed following the tragedy.
De Miguel’s career in Spanish football
Born in Madrid, De Miguel began his senior career at Leganes in 2015 and went on to represent several clubs across the Spanish lower divisions.
He joined Castellon in 2023 and scored 16 goals as the club secured promotion to the second division the following year. He moved to Tenerife in 2025 on a three-year contract.
The striker scored 11 goals in 29 appearances for Tenerife, having become an important part of the club’s attacking options.
De Miguel is survived by his daughter, Carla, who was born in 2025.
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