A night of football turned to tragedy.
Jesus de Miguel, the bustling Tenerife striker who lit up the second division with 11 goals in 29 appearances, is dead. He died Tuesday morning after a brutal collision that left a stadium in silence, a match abandoned, and a club in mourning.
It happened on Monday. Minute after minute of tense, end-to-end football at 2-2, then — a sickening clash.
De Miguel lunged for the ball. FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesus Owono came flying out. The impact was monstrous. Head. Chest. The striker crumpled.
Red card for Owono. The referee’s whistle fell silent. The game was abandoned at 2-2, but nobody was thinking about the scoreline anymore.
Medics raced onto the pitch. In the ambulance, De Miguel’s heart stopped. A cardiac arrest. They brought him back. For hours on Monday, there was a flicker of hope — Spanish reports said he was “stable but serious.”
Then Tuesday morning came with the worst news.
“Racked with pain, with a lump in our throats and unable to believe that this is true,” Tenerife announced in a statement soaked in grief, “from CD Tenerife we communicate the tragic passing of Jesus de Miguel Alameda.”
“There are no words of comfort; there is absolutely nothing that can alleviate this feeling overflowing with sadness.”
“The family of Jesus de Miguel thanks each and every one of the expressions of support received, and likewise requests, from the heart, the utmost respect for their privacy in these terrible moments.”
The Spanish Football Federation immediately postponed two Copa del Rey ties and a Copa de la Reina match. Flags at half-mast. Football stopped.
Police have now opened a probe into possible involuntary manslaughter — a routine step under Spanish law when a death is deemed non-natural, judicial authorities in the Canary Islands clarified, but one that underlines the gravity of what happened.
From Madrid boy to Leganes hopeful to journeyman warrior across eight Spanish clubs, De Miguel fought for every shirt. He found a home in Tenerife in 2025, signing a three-year deal and becoming a fan favourite.
He leaves behind more than goals and cheers. He leaves behind a little girl — Carla de Miguel Fernandez, born just last year in 2025 — who will now grow up hearing stories of how her father died doing what he loved.
A striker. A father. Gone at the height of his fight.
