The football world is in mourning after Tenerife announced that forward Jesus de Miguel has died following an on-pitch collision during a Spanish second-division match.
Tenerife were level at 2-2 with Andorra at the Estadio Heliodoro Rodriguez Lopez on Monday when the match entered the seventh minute of stoppage time.
The ball was cleared from the Tenerife penalty area and flew towards midfield, where De Miguel — the 30-year-old who had come on as a substitute in the 59th minute with his side leading 2-0 — went in for a challenge with Andorra goalkeeper Jesus Owono. The goalkeeper's knee appeared to strike De Miguel in the chest.
The referee immediately showed the goalkeeper a red card while players frantically waved for medical staff to come on and treat De Miguel, who lay motionless.
The match was subsequently abandoned, with players in tears. Spanish media reported that De Miguel went into cardiac arrest in the ambulance on the way to Nuestra Senora de Candelaria University Hospital in Santa Cruz, where he was admitted to intensive care.
In a statement on Tuesday morning, Tenerife said: "In deepest pain, with a lump in our throats and unable to believe it is true, we announce the tragic death of Jesus de Miguel Alameda.
"There are no words that can comfort. There is nothing that can ease this grief.
"We stand with his devastated family, his loved ones and all the people of Tenerife, who today mourn this cruel outcome together."
The statement said the player's family were grateful for the support of so many and asked for their privacy to be respected "in these terrible moments".
De Miguel was born in Madrid, made his debut in 2015 for Leganes B and played for eight other Spanish clubs.
He joined Tenerife on a three-year contract in 2025, after making his professional debut for Castellon in August 2024 at the age of 27. He had previously scored 16 goals, topping the scoring charts as he helped the club win promotion to the second division in the 2023-24 season.
