Tenerife striker Jesús de Miguel dies after collision with keeper

Tenerife striker Jesús de Miguel has died aged 30, a day after suffering serious head and chest injuries in a collision with Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono in a Spanish second-division match.

The homicide division of Spain's national police has opened judicial proceedings into possible involuntary manslaughter, a routine step under Spanish law after any death not from natural causes.

Tenerife said De Miguel died at 8am on Tuesday, hours after the club reported that his neurological condition had worsened at 5am.

José Luis Sánchez-Jáuregui, the chief public prosecutor in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, told the state news agency EFE it would be "very difficult" for a case to proceed because the impact happened during play. Reports said no footballer has faced legal proceedings over a challenge made in the course of a game.

The collision came on Monday at Tenerife's Estadio Heliodoro Rodríguez López, with the score level at 2-2 deep into stoppage time. Owono ran out of his goal towards the centre circle to clear a long ball and his knee appeared to strike De Miguel.

Owono was shown a straight red card and walked to the touchline while De Miguel lay unconscious and players from both sides appealed for medical help. Referee Manuel Ángel Pérez Hernández abandoned the match.

The referee's report said, "In minute 90+6, player no 25 Ferrer Owono, Jesus Lazaro, was sent off for the following reason, for impacting sharply upon an opponent with his leg high and excessive force in dispute of the ball. The player was treated on the field of play, which he then abandoned on a stretcher. At the close of this report, no medical certificate had been presented."

Medics treated De Miguel on the pitch before an ambulance took him to the Hospital Universitario de Nuestra Señora de Candelaria in Santa Cruz. Spanish media including Marca reported that he suffered a cardiac arrest on the way and was resuscitated by paramedics. Tenerife said he was breathing unaided and stable but remained unconscious and in a critical condition.

In its announcement of his death, the club said it was "broken by pain, with a lump in the throat and unable to believe that this is true".

Club president Felipe Minambres said, "We are all feeling vulnerable and deeply saddened right now. It's hard to even believe what has happened." He added that players and their partners would need professional help.

Andorra issued its own statement later on Tuesday. "We are deeply affected by what has happened and we share the pain that the club is experiencing," it said.

Gerard Piqué, the former Barcelona defender who is Andorra's majority shareholder and attended the match, wrote on social media, "I am so deeply sorry, to my soul. Rest in peace, Jesús."

La Liga president Javier Tebas said, "Today, we all share the terrible pain of an irreparable loss." Lionel Messi sent his condolences and "lots of strength to all his family and friends", while Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé also paid tribute online.

Real Madrid and Arsenal squads each observed a minute's silence before training on Tuesday. Barcelona and Real Madrid also issued messages of support to his family.

De Miguel was born in Madrid and began his career at Leganés in 2015 before playing for eight clubs in Spain, most of them in the third tier. He scored 16 goals after joining Castellón in 2023, helping the club to promotion to the second division a year later.

He signed a three-year deal with Tenerife in 2025 and scored 11 goals in 29 appearances. He is survived by his daughter Carla, who was born in 2025.

The Spanish football federation postponed all Copa del Rey and Copa de la Reina games scheduled for Tuesday. Tenerife have asked to postpone their league match against Granada on Saturday and their cup tie with Badajoz the following week, while Andorra have requested that their weekend game against Mallorca be moved.

Owono, who had more than 30,000 followers on Instagram on Tuesday morning, has since deactivated his account. Under federation protocols he could face a 12-game ban, and the disciplinary committee is due to decide.