Tragedy in Spanish Football as Tenerife Striker Jesus de Miguel Passes Away Following On-Field Collision

MADRID: CD Tenerife has announced the tragic passing of striker Jesus de Miguel Alameda following a severe collision with an opposing goalkeeper during a Spanish second-division fixture.

“Heartbroken and unable to process this reality, CD Tenerife announces the tragic death of Jesus de Miguel Alameda,” the club stated in an official release. “No words can ease this profound pain or lessen our immense sadness. Our thoughts are with his family, close friends, and the Tenerife faithful as they mourn this devastating loss.”

The 30-year-old De Miguel was involved in a high-impact collision mid-pitch with FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesus Owono, an Equatorial Guinea international, who had rushed out of his area to clear the ball. Following the incident, Spanish police confirmed that a judicial investigation into the circumstances of the collision has been launched.

The accident occurred late in the match at the Heliodoro Rodriguez Lopez stadium while the score was tied at 2-2. Owono received a red card, and the match was subsequently abandoned. According to Spanish media reports, De Miguel suffered a cardiac arrest during the incident and was resuscitated. Although he was rushed to the hospital and placed in intensive care, Tenerife later confirmed that his neurological condition had deteriorated before he passed away.

Gerard Pique, a former Barcelona defender and majority shareholder of FC Andorra, expressed his grief on social media, writing, “I am so deeply sorry. Rest in peace, Jesus.” FC Andorra also issued a statement offering their most sincere condolences to De Miguel’s family, teammates, and the Tenerife organization.

The football community has responded with widespread tributes. Major Spanish clubs, including Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid, alongside the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), issued statements of condolence. In a gesture of respect and solidarity, the RFEF postponed all scheduled Copa del Rey and Copa de la Reina matches for Tuesday.

UEFA has also announced that a minute of silence will be observed ahead of all Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League fixtures this week.

Individual tributes poured in from global sporting icons. Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe shared his sorrow on Instagram, stating, “Immense sadness, there are no words.” Inter Miami striker Lionel Messi and tennis legend Rafa Nadal also posted messages of support on social media.

The impact of the tragedy was felt throughout the league; La Liga side Espanyol postponed the presentation of their new manager, Eder Sarabia, and several clubs opted to cancel training sessions. La Liga President Javier Tebas and Spanish Sports Minister Milagros Tolon also expressed their condolences, with Tebas noting that the football world shares in the “irreparable loss.”

De Miguel had been a key figure for Tenerife for just over a year, having joined from Castellon in the summer of 2025 and playing a vital role in the club’s promotion to the second division. He began his professional journey in the Leganes youth system before moving through various clubs, including Unionistas de Salamanca, prior to his move to Castellon in 2023.

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