Tenerife president vows De Miguel's daughter 'will never lack anything' after striker's death

Tenerife president Rayco Garcia has promised to provide for the family of Jesus De Miguel after the 30-year-old striker died on Tuesday, one day after suffering a serious chest injury in a collision during the club’s fixture against Andorra FC.

De Miguel was struck by Andorra goalkeeper Jesus Owono in a high challenge during Monday’s match. Owono was sent off following the incident, and De Miguel was taken to hospital, where he died the following day from what doctors described as “accidental chest trauma”.

Garcia attended De Miguel’s funeral on Thursday and subsequently addressed the Tenerife squad. According to Spanish outlet Marca, the president told his players: “I ask you to stay close to María… and I promise you that her little girl will never lack anything.” María is De Miguel’s girlfriend; the couple have a daughter together.

Before the funeral, De Miguel’s family released a statement read by the player’s agent, Manuel Hernandez. “Feeling so much affection for Jesus and seeing the impact he had on so many people is something we will always carry with us,” the statement read. “Jesus leaves a void that is impossible to fill, but also cherished memories for all of us who were fortunate enough to share our lives with him. Thank you for loving him and for standing by us.”

Close friend Fernando Roman gave an interview to Spanish programme Vamos a Ver in which he described the hours following the incident. “Yesterday, my girlfriend and I were talking all afternoon and all night with Maria, his girlfriend, who was alone in the hospital,” Roman said. “I’ve spoken with his girlfriend, and you can imagine how she is. Now we have to be with the family.”

Roman also revealed the couple’s young daughter, Carla, is just over a year old. “We have to send our love to his family, to Maria, to his daughter Carla, who is a year and a few months old,” he said. “It was unbelievable because we were talking about travelling to Disney with the girls, with my daughter too, and look what’s happened.”