Tenerife forward Jesús de Miguel dies after collision in Spain

Jesús de Miguel died Tuesday morning in a hospital after suffering cardiac arrest during a soccer match in Spain. The incident occurred on Monday during a second-division game between Tenerife and Andorra.

The National Police in Spain opened proceedings on Tuesday to investigate the death. Prosecutors are also involved in the case, and authorities are treating the matter as possible involuntary manslaughter.

De Miguel, who was 30 years old, was challenging for a ball near midfield when he was struck in the chest by Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono. The collision happened during added time. Owono rushed out of his defensive area to the center of the field to challenge for a long ball.

The Tenerife forward initially curled up on his knees, clutching his torso for a few seconds before falling onto his back. His arms fell to his sides as he lay on the grass. Owono had been shown a straight red card for the incident. He turned around after walking toward the sideline to join other players checking on De Miguel.

The match was abandoned after the injury while the score was tied 2-2. De Miguel was transported to a hospital via ambulance. His club reported that his pulse was restored during the ride to the medical facility.

Tenerife stated late Monday that De Miguel’s condition had worsened neurologically. The club, based in the Canary Islands, announced his death at 8 a.m. Tuesday.

De Miguel was born in Madrid. He made his professional debut in 2015 with Leganés B. He played for several lower-division clubs in Spain before joining Tenerife last year.

In a statement to Spanish media, the club called itself heartbroken over the loss. The statement said there were no words of comfort and that the family requested respect for their privacy. Andorra, which is owned by former Barcelona star Gerard Piqué, extended its condolences to the family and the Tenerife community.

The Spanish soccer federation postponed two Copa del Rey matches and one Copa de la Reina match scheduled for later Tuesday. Players from Real Madrid held a minute of silence during training. Espanyol postponed the presentation of its new coach. English clubs Manchester United and Liverpool also offered condolences on social media.

De Miguel is not the first Spanish player to die from an on-field collision in recent years. In 2025, 19-year-old goalkeeper Raúl Ramírez died from head injuries sustained in a fifth-division match. He suffered two cardiorespiratory arrests, one on the field and one in the ambulance. He was declared brain dead two days later.