Spanish judge opens tragic De Miguel death investigation after the 30-year-old Tenerife striker dies following a collision with FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono

On 3 November 2026 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spanish judicial authorities confirmed that a judge would open a formal investigation into the death of CD Tenerife striker Jesús de Miguel Alameda, 30, following a collision with FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono during a Segunda División match the previous day.

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The incident occurred in the 97th minute of the match at the Heliodoro Rodríguez López stadium, with the score level at 2-2. Owono, a 25-year-old Equatorial Guinea international, left his penalty area to contest a ball and struck de Miguel with force, leading to cardiac arrest on the pitch.

The referee issued a straight red card for excessive force, and the match was abandoned.

De Miguel was resuscitated by medical staff and taken to Hospital Nuestra Señora de La Candelaria, where his neurological condition deteriorated overnight before he died at 8am.

The High Court of Justice of the Canary Islands stated that any non-natural death automatically triggers a judicial investigation, describing the collision as accidental.

Chief prosecutor José Luis Sánchez-Jáuregui of Santa Cruz de Tenerife said it would be “very difficult” for the case to proceed to criminal proceedings, as the contact occurred during ordinary play.

He noted that the referee’s report and any findings by the sports disciplinary committee would be examined first to determine whether the challenge was dangerous or intentional.

FC Andorra defender Lautaro Spatz, who witnessed the incident, said the entire squad had been left “completely broken” by the tragedy.

In a social media message he defended his teammate, writing that Owono was “deeply affected” and that “those of us who know him know the kind of person he is, how much he is suffering at this moment, and that he would never intentionally hurt anyone.”

Spatz added that “in football, unfortunate incidents can happen, but no one could imagine that one of them might end with such tragic consequences.” Owono has since deactivated his Instagram account after receiving online abuse.

The investigation runs alongside the normal sports disciplinary process. Andorra has offered psychological support to staff and players. De Miguel, who joined Tenerife in 2025 after spells at several Spanish clubs, is survived by his wife and young daughter.

His body is expected to be returned to the family home in Navahermosa, near Toledo, for the funeral.

While the inquiry is mandatory under Spanish law for any unnatural death, both judicial and football authorities have stressed that it does not imply criminal responsibility.

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The focus remains on establishing the precise circumstances of the collision and the subsequent medical response, offering clarity to the grieving families and the wider football community.