Former UD Las Palmas player and coach Ángel Sánchez Armas has died at the age of 49, the club confirmed on Saturday, April 25, 2026. The announcement came via an official statement released by the Spanish football club based in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
Sánchez, who was developed in the club’s youth system, made his official debut for UD Las Palmas on June 15, 1997, in a Segunda División match against CD Toledo. Over four separate seasons with the first team — 1996-97, 1998-99, 2002-03, and 2003-04 — he appeared in 33 matches, accumulating more than 1,300 minutes of playing time.
After retiring as a player, Sánchez transitioned into coaching. He joined the technical staff of Las Palmas C, the club’s reserve side competing in the regional Preferente division, for the 2016-2017 season. Working alongside assistant Álex Castro, he helped guide the team to promotion into the Canarian group of Tercera División.
“The UD Las Palmas laments the passing of Ángel Sánchez and extends its condolences to his family and friends. May he rest in peace,” the club’s statement read.
UD Las Palmas, founded on August 22, 1949, is a professional football club based in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, in the Canary Islands, Spain. The team currently competes in Segunda División, Spain’s second tier, following relegation from La Liga after the 2024-25 season. The club plays its home matches at Estadio Gran Canaria, which has a capacity of 32,392 spectators and opened on May 8, 2003.
The club’s colors are blue and yellow, and its reserve team, Las Palmas Atlético, currently plays in Segunda Federación. Over its history, UD Las Palmas has spent 36 seasons in La Liga, 33 in Segunda División, and six in Segunda B.
Sánchez’s death marks a significant loss for the UD Las Palmas community, where he is remembered both as a product of the club’s academy and as a contributor to its coaching ranks during his post-playing career.
As of now, no further details regarding the cause of death or funeral arrangements have been made public by the club or family sources.
Fans and former teammates have begun sharing tributes online, reflecting on Sánchez’s dedication to the club over multiple decades, both on and off the pitch.
The next official update from UD Las Palmas is expected ahead of their upcoming Segunda División fixture, though no specific date for a memorial or tribute has been announced.
If you wish to honor Ángel Sánchez’s memory, consider sharing your thoughts or memories in the comments below or spreading awareness of his contributions to the club through social media.
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