Spanish football has been thrown into mourning following the death of Tenerife forward Jesús de Miguel, who passed away at the age of 30 after suffering a cardiac arrest during a league match.
De Miguel died on Tuesday morning, a day after collapsing during Tenerife’s Spanish second-division match against FC Andorra on Monday.
The incident happened during stoppage time when the striker challenged for the ball near the halfway line. Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono rushed out to clear a long ball but accidentally struck De Miguel in the chest with his knee.
The Tenerife forward initially fell to his knees, holding his chest, before collapsing onto his back. Medical officials rushed to his aid and treated him on the pitch for more than five minutes before he was taken to hospital by ambulance.
Tenerife initially reported that the player was in a stable condition despite the seriousness of the situation. However, the club confirmed his death on Tuesday morning.
Owono was shown a straight red card following the incident, while Spanish judicial authorities have opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding De Miguel’s death.
In an emotional statement, Tenerife expressed deep sadness over the loss and sent its condolences to his family, friends, teammates and everyone connected to the club.
Tributes have also come from several top Spanish clubs, including Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, as well as FC Andorra and the Spanish Football Federation.
Andorra’s majority shareholder and former Barcelona defender Gerard Piqué also paid tribute to the late striker, writing on social media: “I’m sorry with all my heart. Rest in peace Jesús.”
As a mark of respect, the Spanish Football Federation postponed all matches scheduled for Tuesday, including games in the Copa del Rey and Copa de la Reina.
UEFA has also announced that moments of silence will be observed before European matches this week in honour of the late footballer.
