Tenerife Forward Jesús de Miguel Dies at 30 After Match Collision

Tenerife forward Jesús de Miguel has died at the age of 30, one day after suffering a cardiac arrest following an on-field collision during a Spanish second-division match.

Tenerife announced his death on Tuesday, saying he had died in the morning. The club had earlier reported that the player was stable despite the seriousness of his condition.

Collision during stoppage time

The incident occurred on Monday while De Miguel was challenging for the ball near midfield during stoppage time. FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono rushed out to clear a long ball and struck the Tenerife forward in the chest with his knee.

De Miguel initially fell to his knees while clutching his torso before collapsing onto his back. Medical staff treated him on the pitch for more than five minutes, after which he was taken to hospital by ambulance.

Owono was shown a straight red card for the incident. The available information does not provide further details about the hospital treatment or the location of the match.

Investigation and tributes

Spain’s judicial authorities have opened an investigation into De Miguel’s death. No details of the investigation have been released.

Tributes were paid by FC Andorra, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and the Spanish Football Federation. Gerard Piqué, Andorra’s majority shareholder and a former Barcelona defender, wrote on social media: “I’m sorry with all my heart. Rest in peace Jesús.”

Tenerife extended its condolences to De Miguel’s family, friends and the wider club community.

Matches postponed

The Spanish Football Federation postponed all matches scheduled for Tuesday as a mark of respect. The postponements included fixtures in the Copa del Rey and Copa de la Reina.

UEFA also announced that moments of silence would be observed before European matches during the week.