Tenerife have announced the death of striker Jesús de Miguel, hours after he was taken to hospital following a violent collision with Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono. The news brought a night of anxiety and waiting to a devastating end, sending shockwaves through Spanish football.
The forward suffered the injury during Monday’s Spanish second-division match at the Heliodoro Rodríguez López stadium, where the closing stages gave way to a medical emergency that halted play.
The incident occurred when Owono rushed outside his penalty area to clear a long ball near the halfway line and collided with De Miguel, who fell unconscious. Medical staff immediately intervened, while the referee showed the goalkeeper a red card.
Play stopped with the score level at 2–2. The match was subsequently suspended after both captains and club officials said their teams were too distressed to continue. De Miguel was carried off on a stretcher and taken away by ambulance.
During the journey to hospital, the striker suffered a cardiorespiratory arrest and required resuscitation. He was admitted to intensive care at Nuestra Señora de Candelaria University Hospital, where the initial medical update described his condition as critical but stable, although he remained unconscious.
Hopes faded over the following hours as Tenerife reported a deterioration in his neurological condition. The club then confirmed that he had died at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, 3 November, aged 30. “We are heartbroken and can barely believe this is real,” the club said in its tribute.
Footage of the collision prompted anger and calls from some supporters on social media and online forums for criminal proceedings against the goalkeeper, amid debate over whether the challenge exceeded the risks normally associated with football. Andorra had issued a message after the incident expressing support for the player, his family and Tenerife, and wishing him a recovery.
Under Article 142 of Spain’s Criminal Code, causing another person’s death through gross negligence carries a prison sentence of one to four years. Whether that provision applies to a sporting incident would depend on a court establishing criminal responsibility and causation, including an assessment of the challenge and the medical evidence, independently of the red card.
De Miguel had built his career at several clubs, including Navalcarnero, Unionistas and Castellón, before joining Tenerife in summer 2025. His family have requested privacy during this painful time. “We stand alongside his family, his loved ones and all Tenerife supporters,” the club added.
