The football world has been left mourning the death of Spanish forward Jesús de Miguel, with Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Gerard Piqué among the prominent names to pay tribute to the 30-year-old following his tragic death after an on-field collision during a second-division match.De Miguel, who played for CD Tenerife, suffered a cardiac arrest after colliding with FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono during Monday’s match. His club confirmed his death on Tuesday, triggering an outpouring of condolences from players, clubs and football authorities across the world.Former Barcelona defender Piqué expressed his grief in a post on X, writing: “I am sorry with all my soul. Rest in peace, Jesús.”Real Madrid forward Mbappé also reacted to the news, posting: “So much sadness. There are no words.”
Argentina great Messi shared his condolences on Instagram, saying: “There are no words. My condolences and lots of strength to all his family and friends.”English clubs Manchester United and Liverpool also joined the tributes, offering their condolences on social media.ALSO READ: What next for goalkeeper Jesús Owono? Sporting sanctions and possible criminal proceedings
Football clubs, federation pay their respects
The tragedy prompted several gestures of remembrance across Spanish football. Real Madrid players observed a minute’s silence for De Miguel during training, while Espanyol postponed the presentation of its new coach as a mark of respect.FC Andorra, owned by Piqué, also issued a statement expressing its condolences to the forward’s family, teammates and club.“We wish to extend our deepest condolences to the family of Jesús de Miguel, to all his colleagues and friends, and to CD Tenerife. May he rest in peace,” the club said.Tenerife, meanwhile, said it was heartbroken by the loss.“There are no words of comfort,” the club’s statement read. “There is absolutely nothing that can alleviate this profound sense of sorrow. We stand with his devastated family, his loved ones, and the entire Tenerife community.”The Spanish football federation also postponed two Copa del Rey matches and one Copa de la Reina fixture scheduled for Tuesday.
Police open investigation after fatal collision
The incident occurred in the closing stages of Tenerife’s match against Andorra, which was tied 2-2. De Miguel was attempting to reach a long ball near the halfway line when Owono rushed out of his penalty area to challenge for it.The goalkeeper collided with the forward, striking him in the chest with his knee. De Miguel initially remained on his knees, clutching his torso, before falling onto his back. Medical personnel attended to him for several minutes before he was taken to hospital by ambulance.Owono was shown a straight red card but turned back towards the incident after initially walking away, joining other players rushing to check on De Miguel. The match was abandoned in the seventh minute of stoppage time.Spanish police have opened an investigation into possible involuntary manslaughter. Under Spanish law, deaths from non-natural causes, including accidents, are subject to judicial investigation. The investigation does not, by itself, establish criminal responsibility.Owono’s Instagram account, which had nearly 30,000 followers, was deactivated on Tuesday after he faced online abuse.A Madrid native, De Miguel began his senior career with Leganés B in 2015 before representing several lower-division Spanish clubs. He joined Tenerife last year and is survived by his wife and daughter, according to Spanish media.His death has once again brought attention to the rare but devastating risks of serious on-field collisions in football.
