Spanish police investigate death of Tenerife striker

Spanish police opened a preliminary investigation into the death of a professional soccer player who died following a collision on the field.

Jesús de Miguel, a 30-year-old forward for CD Tenerife, suffered cardiac arrest after being struck in the chest. The club confirmed his death on Tuesday. The incident occurred during a second-division match against FC Andorra on Monday.

De Miguel was contesting a ball near midfield in stoppage time when he collided with Jesús Owono, the goalkeeper for FC Andorra. Owono had advanced from his own goal to clear a long ball. The referee issued a direct red card to Owono for the action. The match was suspended with the score tied at 2-2. De Miguel was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The National Police stated that the investigation is based on Spanish laws regarding non-natural deaths, which include accidental incidents. José Luis Sánchez-Jáuregui, the chief prosecutor in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, told the EFE news agency that criminal proceedings were unlikely because the collision happened during normal play.

Rayco García, the main shareholder of Tenerife, said the body would be transported to Navahermosa in Toledo province at the family's request. He noted that teammates and club officials would attend the farewell. Fans are scheduled to gather at the stadium on Saturday for a tribute. The club asked to postpone its upcoming league match in Granada.

Felipe Miñambres, the club president, said the players and their families would likely need professional support to cope with the loss. He emphasized that supporters would share the same emotional burden as the club. The club described itself as devastated in a public statement.

Owono left the field after receiving the red card but turned back to join teammates attending to De Miguel. His Instagram account, which had nearly 30,000 followers, was deactivated on Tuesday. Another player named Michel Owono reported receiving racist insults from people who mistook him for the FC Andorra goalkeeper.