Spanish football is in mourning. CD Tenerife forward Jesus de Miguel died on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, one day after a violent clash with FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesus Owono left him with severe injuries to his head and chest. He was 30 years old.
Spanish police have since opened an investigation into possible involuntary manslaughter, Naija News reported, although officials in the Canary Islands stress that the step is standard procedure under Spanish law and not an accusation against anyone.
How the collision happened
The Segunda Division game, played on Monday at the Estadio Heliodoro Rodriguez Lopez in Tenerife, was locked at 2-2 and seven minutes into added time when a long ball was launched forward. Owono raced off his line, heading towards the centre circle to reach it first, and ran into De Miguel.
Descriptions of the impact vary slightly between reports. Naija News' first account said the keeper caught the striker with his knee, while a later report from the same outlet said Owono, who had come out of his box to clear, hit De Miguel in the chest.
De Miguel did not move as medics hurried onto the pitch to treat him, and he was then carried off and driven to hospital in an ambulance. The referee showed Owono a straight red card and called the match off.
According to Spanish outlet Marca, the forward's heart stopped while he was in the ambulance, but paramedics managed to revive him before he reached the hospital.
From stable to tragedy overnight
On Monday, Tenerife had described his condition as serious but stable. Things took a turn for the worse overnight, with reports saying his neurological state declined before he passed away on Tuesday morning. The exact time differs between accounts: one report put it at 07:00 GMT, while another said he died at about 8am local time.
The club broke the news in an emotional statement. "Heartbroken, with a lump in our throats and unable to believe this is true, CD Tenerife announces the tragic death of Jesus de Miguel Alameda," it said.
The statement continued: "There are no words of comfort; there is absolutely nothing that can lessen this overwhelming sadness. We stand with his grieving family, with his loved ones, with all of Tenerife who mourn this cruel loss today."
Tenerife added that the player's relatives were grateful for the outpouring of support and have requested privacy as they grieve.
Why police are involved
Spain's National Police confirmed that prosecutors will take part in the probe. Authorities in the Canary Islands, however, said the move is routine, explaining that the law in Spain demands a judicial investigation any time a death is not regarded as natural.
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FC Andorra sent its sympathies to the striker's family, his teammates and Tenerife. The Andorran club's co-owner, former Barcelona defender Gerard Pique, wrote: "I am sorry with all my soul. Rest in peace, Jesus."
