“THE HARDEST DAYS OF MY LIFE”: GOALKEEPER JESÚS OWONO SPEAKS OUT AFTER ON-FIELD COLLISION CLAIMS THE LIFE OF FOOTBALLER JESÚS DE MIGUEL, 30
SPAIN — November 7, 2026
A heartbreaking tᩚraɢedy has shaken Spanish football after 30-year-old CD Tenerife striker Jesús de Miguel died following a collision with FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono during a second-division match.
Now, Owono, 25, has broken his silence, describing the days since the incident as the most difficult of his life.
The young goalkeeper, who represents Equatorial Guinea internationally, shared an emotional statement through his club, FC Andorra, on Wednesday, November 4. His words revealed the profound grief he has been experiencing since learning that the opposing player involved in the collision had passed away.
“These are the hardest days of my life. I struggle to find the words, and it is very difficult for me to process anything that has happened,” Owono said.
“I feel immense pain over the loss of Jesús. I think of him, his family, and all the people who loved him.”
He acknowledged that there would be many questions to face in the coming days, but said his thoughts were entirely with De Miguel and those mourning his loss.
“I know there will be many issues to address, and I will face whatever comes with the utmost respect. But right now, honestly, I cannot think about anything other than Jesús and the pain we are going through. Rest in peace, Jesús.”
THE COLLISION THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING
The tᩚraɢedy unfolded on Monday, November 2, during a Spanish second-division fixture between CD Tenerife and FC Andorra at the Heliodoro Rodríguez López Stadium in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
The match was approaching its final moments when Owono rushed out of his goal to challenge for an aerial ball near midfield.
As both players contested the ball, the goalkeeper and De Miguel collided heavily.
The Tenerife forward suffered a serious injury and went into cardiac arrest. Medical personnel immediately rushed to his aid, performing emergency resuscitation procedures before he was transported to hospital.
Although medical teams managed to restore his pulse, his condition remained ᑕriᩚtiᩚcal.
Tragically, De Miguel died at approximately 8 a.m. on Tuesday, November 3, aged just 30.
Owono was shown a straight red card following the incident. Reports indicated that he was visibly affected by what had happened, with the goalkeeper later returning to check on De Miguel as medical staff attended to the striker.
What began as a football match ended in a tᩚraɢedy that neither club nor supporters could have anticipated.
OWONO FACES AN OVERWHELMING WAVE OF CRITICISM
In the aftermath, Owono found himself at the center of intense public attention.
While messages of sympathy were directed toward De Miguel’s family, the goalkeeper also became the target of online criticism and abusive comments.
Some social media users reportedly directed deeply hurtful accusations at him, prompting Owono to deactivate his Instagram account.
His teammates have since spoken out in his defense, emphasizing that the collision was never something anyone would have wanted to happen.
FC Andorra defender Lautaro Spatz shared a message expressing support for his teammate, describing him as someone who was deeply affected by the tᩚraɢedy.
“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 said.
He also reminded supporters that football can produce unexpected and devastating situations, even when players enter the field with the intention of competing.
FC Andorra confirmed that the club was deeply affected by De Miguel’s passing and asked the public to show sensitivity and respect toward everyone involved.
The club has also made psychological support available to members of its squad and staff.
A POLICE INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY
Spanish authorities have opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding De Miguel’s dєatᩚh.
The investigation is being conducted under judicial supervision, as Spanish law requires authorities to examine deaths resulting from non-natural causes, including accidents.
However, the opening of an investigation does not establish criminal responsibility.
Reports from Spanish media and prosecutors have indicated that criminal proceedings against Owono are considered unlikely, given the circumstances of an accidental collision during a contact sport.
The investigation will help establish the precise circumstances surrounding the incident and the events that followed.
No final determination of responsibility has been announced.
A FOOTBALL COMMUNITY IN MOURNING
The tᩚraɢedy has prompted an outpouring of tributes across Spanish and international football.
Both CD Tenerife and FC Andorra expressed their grief, while players and supporters shared messages remembering De Miguel.
A minute of silence was observed in his honor before football matches, including Champions League fixtures.
The clubs’ scheduled league matches for the following weekend were also postponed.
De Miguel leaves behind his loved ones, including his partner and young daughter, who were reportedly at the stadium when the tᩚraɢedy unfolded.
For his family, the loss is immeasurable. For his teammates, it is the loss of someone they shared the dressing room, training sessions and countless moments of their football lives with.
Meanwhile, Owono has also been left facing an experience that will forever change his life.
The 25-year-old was subsequently omitted from Equatorial Guinea’s upcoming international squad. However, no official confirmation established that his absence was a disciplinary punishment connected to the incident.
TWO FAMILIES, TWO DIFFERENT KINDS OF HEARTBREAK
One family is now preparing to live without a son, partner and father who had so much more life ahead of him.
Another young man must find a way to continue his career and life after being involved in an incident with such devastating consequences.
There are questions that only the ongoing investigation may help answer. But behind the headlines, red cards and online arguments are real people experiencing extraordinary grief.
Owono’s final words in his statement were simple:
“Rest in peace, Jesús.”
For now, his message is not about football, competition or the next match.
It is about a player who is gone, a family left grieving, and a sporting community struggling to understand how one moment on the pitch could end in such profound heartbreak.
