Tenerife Forward Dies After Collision as Police Open Investigation

Jesús de Miguel died on November 3, a day after he was struck in the chest during a Spanish second-division match between Tenerife and Andorra. He was 30. Spain’s National Police opened an investigation into possible involuntary manslaughter, with prosecutors also set to be involved.

De Miguel was chasing a long ball near midfield in added time on November 2 when Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono ran out of his area and collided with him. Owono received a straight red card. The match, level at 2-2, was abandoned in the 108th minute.

Medical staff treated De Miguel on the pitch before he was taken to hospital. Tenerife said he suffered cardiac arrest and that his condition worsened overnight. The club announced he died at 8 a.m. on November 3.

Tenerife said it was heartbroken and expressed support for De Miguel’s family, friends and the club community. Andorra and clubs including Barcelona and Real Madrid also offered condolences. Owono was described as deeply affected by the incident, and he reportedly hoped to offer De Miguel an apology in private before speaking publicly.

Spain’s football authority called off two matches in the Copa del Rey, along with a Copa de la Reina fixture, slated for November 3. De Miguel made his professional debut with Leganés B in 2015 and joined Tenerife last year. He had played for several lower-division Spanish clubs.