Tenerife striker Jesús de Miguel has died aged 30 after suffering a cardiac arrest following a collision with FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono during a Spanish second division match on Monday.
The club confirmed that the forward died at 8am on Tuesday, November 3, after being admitted to intensive care at Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora de Candelaria in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
De Miguel was chasing a long ball near the halfway line in stoppage time when Owono rushed out of his penalty area to challenge him. The goalkeeper’s knee struck the striker in the chest, leaving him unconscious on the pitch.
Players from both teams immediately called for medical assistance as play stopped at the Heliodoro Rodríguez López stadium. Owono received a straight red card, while medical personnel attended to De Miguel before taking him to hospital by ambulance.
Tenerife initially said the striker was in intensive care and described his condition as stable but serious. However, an overnight update reported that his neurological condition had deteriorated.
The announcement of his death followed on Tuesday morning, ending hours of anxious waiting for his family, teammates and supporters.
“There are no words of comfort,” Tenerife said in a statement translated from Spanish.
The club expressed solidarity with his family, loved ones and supporters as they mourned the forward. It also conveyed the family’s appreciation for the messages of support received since the incident.
His relatives requested privacy as they came to terms with his death.
Spanish police have opened an investigation into possible involuntary manslaughter following the collision, with prosecutors also expected to be involved, according to the Associated Press.
The Spanish Football Federation joined the tributes, offering condolences to De Miguel’s family, friends, Tenerife and the club’s supporters.
“Spanish football mourns the loss of Jesús de Miguel,” the federation said in a statement translated from Spanish.
The Spanish footballers’ union, AFE, also paid tribute to the striker, who served on its board. It remembered his contribution to the sport and his work defending the rights of fellow players.
His death, the union said, leaves a significant gap among colleagues who shared his commitment to football and player welfare.
Born in Madrid, De Miguel built his career through several Spanish clubs, including Fuenlabrada, Navalcarnero, Unionistas de Salamanca and Castellón, before joining Tenerife in July 2025.
He scored 11 goals during Tenerife’s promotion campaign last season, helping the Canary Islands club return to Spain’s second division. His earlier spell at Castellón also included a promotion-winning season, establishing him as a reliable goalscorer after years spent working his way through the lower leagues.
He was in his second season with Tenerife when Monday’s collision brought his career to a tragic end.
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