Tenerife striker Jesús de Miguel dies at 30 after on-pitch collision
- CD Tenerife striker Jesús de Miguel Alameda died on Tuesday morning, a day after colliding with FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono.
- The 30-year-old was knocked unconscious, suffered a cardiac arrest and was resuscitated before being taken to hospital in intensive care.
- The match was abandoned at 2-2 and clubs across Spain, including Real Madrid and Barcelona, have sent condolences.
Spanish second-division club CD Tenerife has announced the death of its striker, Jesús de Miguel Alameda, a day after he collided with an opposing goalkeeper during a league match. He was 30.
The club said De Miguel died at 8am local time on Tuesday, 3 November 2026. In a statement, Tenerife said it was "broken with pain, with a lump in our throat and unable to believe this is real."
The collision happened on Monday at the Heliodoro Rodríguez López Stadium in Tenerife, during the closing stages of the match against FC Andorra. Both sides were level at 2-2.
What happened on the pitch
According to the accounts, De Miguel went for a loose ball and Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono, an Equatorial Guinea international, rushed out of his goal to clear it. The two collided heavily, and the striker fell unconscious.
Players from both teams called for medical help. Owono was shown a red card. Medics treated De Miguel on the pitch for several minutes before he was carried off on a stretcher and taken by ambulance to the Nuestra Señora de Candelaria University Hospital.
Spanish media reported that he suffered a cardiac arrest during the emergency transfer and was resuscitated by medical staff, who restored his pulse. He remained unconscious and was admitted to intensive care.
Tenerife later said his neurological condition had worsened in the early hours of Tuesday, before confirming his death hours later. The match was abandoned in the 108th minute.
Tributes from across Spanish football
De Miguel joined Tenerife in the summer of 2025 from Castellón and had spent just over a season at the club.
Andorra sent their "most sincere condolences" to his family, teammates and Tenerife. Gerard Piqué, the former Barcelona defender who is Andorra's majority shareholder, wrote on social media: "I am so deeply sorry. Rest in peace, Jesus."
Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atlético Madrid and the Royal Spanish Football Federation also sent messages of condolence. The federation said it was "shattered by this sad news."
The club said De Miguel's family thanked everyone who sent messages of support and asked for privacy during their mourning.
For Nigerian fans who follow Spanish football closely, the death is a reminder of how quickly a routine challenge for the ball can turn serious. Owono, who plays internationally for Equatorial Guinea, was sent off over the incident, which the sources describe as a collision during play rather than any deliberate act.
