Jesús de Miguel dies after collision with Jesús Owono in Spain

Jesús Owono, the goalkeeper involved in the on-field collision with Tenerife forward Jesús de Miguel, has been described by those in his circle as deeply shaken following the incident that led to the player’s death during a Spanish second-division match between FC Andorra and Tenerife. Owono himself characterized the aftermath as the “hardest days of my life.”

The collision took place in the closing stages of the match, which was tied at 2-2 in the seventh minute of stoppage time. Owono, the FC Andorra goalkeeper, rushed toward the center circle to clear a long ball when his knee struck de Miguel, leaving the forward motionless on the pitch. The referee subsequently issued a red card to Owono for the challenge. He was pronounced dead at 8:00 a.m. local time on Tuesday.

Tragic loss of Jesús de Miguel

Jesús de Miguel, 30, was a Madrid native who began his professional career with Leganés in 2015. Over the following decade, he played for seven different Spanish clubs, including stints with Lugo, Fuenlabrada, Internacional de Madrid, Union Adarve, Navalcarnero, and Unionistas. He enjoyed a successful tenure at Castellón, where he scored 16 goals to help the team secure promotion to the second division in 2024. He had signed a three-year contract with Tenerife in 2025 and had recorded 11 goals in 29 appearances for the club prior to his death. He leaves behind a daughter, Carla de Miguel Fernández, born in 2025.

Messages of condolence arrived from across the sport, including from Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé, who wrote, “Very sad, there are no words,” and Brazil national team coach Carlo Ancelotti, who extended his sympathies to the de Miguel family and CD Tenerife, as reported by Veja. “My deepest condolences to the family of Jesús and all of CD Tenerife. Much strength and affection in these difficult moments. Rest in peace,” Ancelotti wrote. La Liga president Javier Tebas also issued a statement, calling the event an “irreparable loss.”

Aftermath for Jesús Owono

Sources within Owono’s circle stated that the goalkeeper, who is an international for Equatorial Guinea, was profoundly affected by the death of his colleague. He reportedly spent much of the night following the collision praying and crying, hoping for a recovery that did not come. Following the confirmation of de Miguel’s death, Owono became the target of significant online abuse, including racist insults, which prompted him to deactivate his social media accounts.

Owono, born in Bata in 2001, spent his early childhood in Equatorial Guinea while his mother moved to the Basque Country in Spain to find work. “I came chasing the dream not of playing football, but of being with my mother,” he recalled in a 2024 interview. He eventually reunited with her in San Sebastián at age eight.

Public response from Raphinha

Barcelona captain Raphinha also addressed the tragedy after appearing visibly solemn during his recent goal celebrations. In an interview with TNT, the Brazilian forward explained that his somber demeanor was a direct response to the news of de Miguel’s passing, noting that commentators had wrongly speculated he was injured or upset about national team selection. “As captain of the club, it is important for me to speak on behalf of the team and send a lot of strength to Jesus’ family,” Raphinha said. “A guy my age. A very complicated situation, a colleague. It touched me particularly. I talked to my wife and said I had a bad feeling after seeing the news. Unfortunately, because of this tragedy, I am not here to talk about football today. That is what matters least right now.”

Earlier coverage: Jesús Owono collided with Jesús de Miguel before De Miguel's death

More on this story: Jesús de Miguel dies after colliding with goalkeeper in Tenerife match · Jesús de Miguel Dies: Tenerife Forward Passes Away Following Pitch Collision

More on Jesús Owono: Jesús Owono, devastated and in shock after the unfortunate incident in Tenerife · Andorra's Lautaro Spatz defends Jesús Owono after Tenerife tragedy · Jesús de Miguel muere tras choque con Jesús Owono, informa CD Tenerife