Spanish police have opened an involuntary manslaughter investigation after Jesus de Miguel, a 30-year-old forward for CD Tenerife, died following a collision during a Spanish second-division match on Monday. The probe involves prosecutors and was announced by the country’s National Police on Tuesday.
De Miguel suffered a cardiac arrest after being struck in the chest by Andorra goalkeeper Jesus Owono during added time. The impact occurred when both players challenged for a long ball near midfield. Owono was shown a straight red card for the incident, and the match, tied 2-2, was abandoned immediately. De Miguel was rushed to hospital, where his pulse was initially restored, but his condition worsened neurologically before he died at 8 a.m. local time.
The club, based on Spain’s Canary Islands, described the loss as “heartbroken” in a statement. “There are no words of comfort,” it said. “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.” De Miguel, a native of Madrid, had played professionally since 2015, moving through Spain’s lower divisions before joining Tenerife last year.
Owono’s challenge came after he rushed from his own area to contest the ball. De Miguel initially curled forward, clutching his torso, before collapsing onto his back. Owono, who had walked off after receiving the red card, turned back to join teammates rushing to his aid. Andorra, owned by former Barcelona star Gerard Pique, later issued a statement offering condolences, as did other clubs, the Spanish soccer federation, and La Liga.
International clubs also responded. Real Madrid players observed a minute of silence during training, while Espanyol postponed the presentation of its new coach. Manchester United and Liverpool shared messages of support on social media. The Spanish soccer federation canceled two Copa del Rey matches and one Copa de la Reina fixture scheduled for Tuesday in tribute.
Life-threatening injuries from on-field collisions in soccer remain rare. In 2023, a 19-year-old goalkeeper in Spain’s fifth division, Raul Ramirez, died after suffering head injuries during a match. He experienced two cardiorespiratory arrests, first on the field, then in the ambulance, before being declared brain dead two days later. A similar case occurred in 2001 when Ukrainian goalkeeper Serhiy Perkhun died from head injuries sustained in a collision while playing for CSKA Moscow.
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