CD Tenerife mourns Jesús de Miguel, who died aged 30 following an on-field collision.
CD Tenerife confirmed Jesús de Miguel’s death on Tuesday as Spanish football authorities postponed cup matches and clubs paid tribute.
Tenerife striker Jesús de Miguel died on Tuesday aged 30, a day after an on-field collision with FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono. CD Tenerife confirmed his death at 8am after his neurological condition deteriorated.
The incident happened during Monday’s Spanish second-division match at the Heliodoro Rodríguez López Stadium. Owono left his penalty area to challenge for a long ball in stoppage time.
His knee struck De Miguel’s chest, and the forward collapsed, lying motionless on the pitch. Players from both sides immediately called for help as medical personnel rushed to treat him.
Owono received a straight red card, while the match ended prematurely with the score at 2-2. An ambulance then took De Miguel to hospital following emergency treatment.
Tenerife striker’s death prompts inquiry
Tenerife initially described De Miguel’s condition as stable but serious. However, the club later announced a decline in his neurological condition before confirming his death.
In its statement, Tenerife expressed deep grief and offered support to his family, friends and supporters. Meanwhile, Spanish police opened proceedings into the incident under the supervision of judicial authorities.
Authorities indicated that such inquiries routinely follow deaths considered non-natural. The circumstances surrounding the collision remain under investigation.
Owono, an Equatorial Guinea international, also faced online abuse after the incident and later deactivated his Instagram account. FC Andorra offered condolences to De Miguel’s family, teammates, friends and club.
Former Barcelona defender Gerard Piqué, Andorra’s majority shareholder, also expressed sorrow in a social media tribute.
Football authorities postpone matches as tributes grow
Tenerife president Felipe Miñambres said players and staff would need professional support to cope with the loss. He also said the club would draw strength from its supporters during mourning.
Meanwhile, Tenerife discussed postponing its next two fixtures with the Spanish Football Federation. Those matches were against Granada on November 7 and Badajoz in the Copa del Rey on November 10.
The federation postponed all Tuesday Copa del Rey and Copa de la Reina fixtures as a mark of respect. UEFA also announced a minute’s silence before the week’s Champions League, Europa League and Conference League matches.
Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid joined the tributes, while Real Madrid held a minute’s silence before training. Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Mikel Arteta and Rafael Nadal also expressed their grief.
Supporters left flowers outside Tenerife’s stadium, while Castellón fans paid respects at Castalia Stadium. De Miguel joined Tenerife from Castellón in summer 2025, having started his career in Leganés’ youth system.
