Spanish football has been plunged into deep mourning following the tragic death of CD Tenerife striker Jesús de Miguel, who passed away on Tuesday, 3 November 2026, at the age of 30.
The forward lost his life in the wake of a horrific, high-impact on-field collision with FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono during a La Liga 2 match.
The catastrophic incident unfolded during stoppage time of Monday’s clash at the Estadio Heliodoro Rodríguez López. With the score deadlocked at 2–2, Tenerife cleared a long ball out of their own box toward the halfway line.
Jesús Owono colliding with Jesús de Miguel
De Miguel chased the high ball and was considered the favourite to gain control with a clear run on goal. Seeing the imminent threat, Owono charged completely out of his penalty area and leaped into the air in a desperate attempt to clear the ball.
In the process, his knee violently struck De Miguel in the chest and head area.
De Miguel immediately collapsed unconscious and suffered a cardiorespiratory arrest on the pitch.
Paramedics and medical personnel rushed to give emergency resuscitation, successfully restoring his pulse before transporting him by ambulance to a nearby hospital in Santa Cruz.
Although initially listed in stable but serious condition in the intensive care unit, De Miguel’s neurological state deteriorated rapidly overnight, and he was pronounced dead early Tuesday morning.
The fallout from the tragedy has been swift and deeply emotional. Owono, who was shown a straight red card immediately after the collision before the match was permanently abandoned, has been completely devastated.
Witness accounts described the 25-year-old Equatorial Guinea international crying and praying in the locker room after the match.
Despite reports that the challenge was an unfortunate, reckless accident rather than a malicious act, Owono quickly became the target of a massive social media storm.
Fans at the stadium reportedly chanted “murderer” as De Miguel was receiving CPR, and his personal digital spaces were subsequently flooded with severe criticism, threats, and vile racist abuse.
In response to the overwhelming online backlash, Owono deactivated his Instagram account to retreat from the public eye while dealing with the trauma of the incident.
On the sporting front, disciplinary action is imminent. Under Article 102 of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) Disciplinary Code, violent play or challenges using excessive force that result in serious injury carry a significant ban.
Authorities are currently reviewing the referee’s match report, and Owono is expected to face a suspension of anywhere from four to twelve matches.
Concurrently, Spanish law requires a judicial inquiry into any non-natural death. Local police have formally opened an investigation into potential involuntary manslaughter to fully review the circumstances of the crash.
While the football world unites to support De Miguel’s wife, daughter, and extended family, the heartbreaking reality of this tragedy remains a sobering reminder of the fragile line between competitive sports and human life.
