Spanish Football Striker Jesus de Miguel Passes Away After On-Field Collapse
CD Tenerife confirms 30-year-old Jesus de Miguel died following a cardiac arrest during a match. Spanish football world reacts to tragedy.
POLICY WIRE — Tenerife, Spain — CD Tenerife announced on Tuesday that forward Jesus de Miguel has passed away at the age of 30. The tragedy comes one day after he suffered a cardiac arrest during a competitive match.
The club expressed profound grief in a statement, noting they were overwhelmed with pain and unable to process the reality of his passing. CD Tenerife stated that no words could provide comfort for the immense sadness felt by the organization.
The tragic incident occurred during a fixture against FC Andorra, which was halted seven minutes into stoppage time. De Miguel collapsed after a collision with opposing goalkeeper Jesus Owono, who had come off his line to intercept a long ball and struck the striker in the chest with his knee.
As the striker remained motionless on the pitch, players from both sides signaled for medical help. Owono received a straight red card for the challenge. Emergency personnel worked on De Miguel for over five minutes before transporting him to a hospital via ambulance.
In response to the tragedy, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) suspended all matches scheduled for Tuesday, including rounds in both the Copa del Rey and Copa del Reina. The governing body also canceled the official introduction for the Spanish Under-21 national team’s match against Japan to show respect to the player’s family, teammates, and the Tenerife fanbase.
UEFA has mandated that a moment of silence be observed across all European football matches this week. This includes Champions League fixtures featuring Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, and Villarreal set for Tuesday night.
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin stated that the organization is heartbroken by the death of Jesus de Miguel Alameda, noting that the search for words resulted only in silence.
Major Spanish clubs issued tributes to the athlete. Barcelona offered their support to his family and loved ones, while Real Madrid expressed its condolences and affection toward the player, his club, and family.
Born in Madrid in 1996, De Miguel joined Tenerife from Castellon prior to the 2025-26 season, having recorded 11 goals during the previous campaign.
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Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
