Football Community Mourns the Loss of Jesus de Miguel After Tragic Injury
Family members of footballer Jesus de Miguel expressed their enduring memories of him during his funeral on Thursday, highlighting “the mark he has left on so many people.” De Miguel, a forward for Tenerife, was 30 years old when he died after suffering a serious injury during a Spanish second division match on Monday.
Following a collision with the FC Andorra goalkeeper, De Miguel remained motionless on the pitch while receiving medical attention. He was transported to a hospital, where he passed away at 07:00 GMT on Tuesday. The incident led to the goalkeeper Jesus Owono being sent off, resulting in the game being abandoned.
In the hours after De Miguel’s death was made public, fans gathered at the Estadio Heliodoro Rodriguez Lopez in Tenerife, placing flowers and lighting candles in memory of the footballer.
This week, tributes poured in for De Miguel, who joined Tenerife in the summer of 2025. A minute’s silence took place at all games in European competitions to honor his legacy.
In a heartfelt statement from his agent Manuel Hernandez, the family expressed their gratitude: “Thank you for loving him, for remembering him, and for being with us. We cannot find enough words to thank you for every message, every phone call, and every gesture of affection we are receiving. Thank you to everyone who has remembered him – his colleagues, friends, supporters, and all the clubs that have sent us their condolences and stood by us during this deeply painful time. Feeling such affection for Jesus and seeing the mark he has left on so many people is something we will always carry with us.”
In a separate statement from FC Andorra on Wednesday, goalkeeper Owono shared, “I am experiencing ‘the most difficult days of my life’.” He expressed his sorrow, stating, “I feel enormous pain over the loss of Jesus. I think of him, his family, and everyone who loved him.”
De Miguel’s funeral took place in his parents’ hometown of Navahermosa, Toledo, roughly 125 kilometers from Madrid. Among the mourners were Spain’s current coach Luis de la Fuente, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, Atletico Madrid chief executive Miguel Angel Gil Marin, and former Real and Spain coach Jose Antonio Camacho.
The family also requested privacy, asking for “the utmost respect for our situation and that of everyone who is supporting us at this time.” They emphasized the need to “grieve in the peace and quiet that this situation demands,” while expressing gratitude for the outpouring of support.
Players Call for Postponement of All Weekend Matches
In light of De Miguel’s tragic passing, the Spanish footballers’ union, AFE, requested on Thursday that all matches scheduled for this weekend be postponed out of respect for him. While Tenerife’s match against Granada and Andorra’s clash with Mallorca have already been postponed, as have several cup fixtures, all Spanish teams involved in European competitions continued with their matches this week.
The AFE stated, “The footballers have expressed their deep sorrow for this loss and do not believe that there are the psychological and humane conditions necessary for the competition to be played under normal circumstances.” The union affirmed that their members “in every category” reached a unanimous agreement that the matches should be suspended.
