A 30-year-old pro soccer player in Spain is dead, and the opposing goalkeeper got a red card for what happened in the final moments of the game

Jesús de Miguel has died at the age of 30 following a collision on the field during a match between CD Tenerife and FC Andorra. The forward passed away at approximately 8:00 AM on Nov. 3, after suffering a cardiorespiratory arrest during the game held the previous day.

As reported by BroBible, the match was tied 2-2 when the incident occurred deep into stoppage time. FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono rushed out of his penalty area to clear a long ball and collided with De Miguel near midfield. The goalkeeper’s knee struck the forward in the chest, and De Miguel collapsed on the pitch immediately.

Medical staff rushed to the field to perform emergency treatment before the player was taken to a nearby hospital. The referee issued a straight red card to Owono, and the match was abandoned.

Tenerife’s first update suggested he was stable

CD Tenerife initially provided an update stating that De Miguel was in stable condition. However, the club issued a new statement early the following morning explaining that the player’s neurological status had worsened.

In the announcement confirming his death, the club said it was “unable to believe that this is true.” The statement added, “There are no words of comfort.”

Medical staff treated De Miguel on the pitch for more than five minutes before an ambulance took him to the hospital, according to Sky Sports. The match at Estadio Heliodoro Rodríguez López was suspended in the 108th minute, and De Miguel was placed in intensive care at Hospital Universitario de Nuestra Señora de Candelaria in Santa Cruz, as Euronews reported.

Once Owono realized how serious the situation was, he stopped walking off the field and turned back to check on De Miguel, Yahoo Sports reported. The goalkeeper faces a suspension for the collision.

De Miguel was born in Madrid and played for eight different teams after starting his senior career in 2015. He joined Tenerife in 2025 and scored 11 goals in 34 appearances for the team. The club also passed along a message from his family, who expressed gratitude for the support they received while asking for privacy.

Spanish police have opened an investigation into possible involuntary manslaughter, according to ESPN, and the investigation is ongoing. Tributes followed from across Spanish football, including statements from FC Barcelona and LaLiga president Javier Tebas. Tragedies at live sporting events have shaken fans before, including an Air Force veteran’s fall from the Alamodome rafters before a Navy-UTSA game.

The aftermath brought an unexpected complication for another athlete. Michel Owono, a player for CF Can Vidalet, said he has been targeted with racist insults and threats after people mistakenly identified him as Jesús Owono, the goalkeeper involved in the collision.

In a post on X, Michel clarified that he was not involved in the incident and expressed his condolences to De Miguel’s family. He condemned the abuse he has received because of the confusion and urged fans to show more empathy, noting that football should bring people together instead of creating division.