Spanish police open manslaughter inquiry after Tenerife striker Jesus de Miguel dies from on-field collision

Spanish police have opened a routine involuntary manslaughter investigation following the death of Tenerife striker Jesus de Miguel, 30, who died in hospital on Tuesday morning after suffering a cardiac arrest during a Segunda División fixture against FC Andorra on Monday.

De Miguel collapsed on the pitch in stoppage time after a clash with Andorra goalkeeper Jesus Owono, who had rushed out of his area to clear the ball and struck the forward in the chest. The match was abandoned immediately, and Owono was shown a red card. De Miguel received treatment on the pitch before being taken to hospital, where Tenerife initially reported he was “stable, despite the severity of his condition.” His neurological condition worsened in the early hours of Tuesday, and the club confirmed his death at around 8am.

Authorities in the Canary Islands stressed that the opening of the inquiry was a standard legal procedure. Under Spanish law, any death classified as non-natural automatically triggers a judicial investigation, with prosecutors also set to be involved.

In a statement, Tenerife said: “Heartbroken, with a lump in our throats and unable to believe this is true, we at CD Tenerife announce the tragic passing of Jesus de Miguel Alameda. There are no words of comfort. There is absolutely nothing that can ease this overwhelming sense of sadness.”

Owono, an Equatorial Guinea international, deactivated his Instagram account following the incident. FC Andorra released a statement expressing their condolences: “With broken hearts, we want to send our most sincere condolences to the family of Jesus de Miguel, to all his teammates, friends, and to CD Tenerife. Rest in peace.”

Tributes poured in from across Spanish football, with Barcelona, Real Madrid, and world players’ union Fifpro all paying their respects. La Liga president Javier Tebas said the league would work to support Tenerife and De Miguel’s family, and raised the possibility of postponing the club’s next match out of concern for player welfare. Tebas also indicated he would explore a joint tribute between La Liga and the Segunda División.