“THE HARDEST DAYS OF MY LIFE”: GOALKEEPER JESÚS OWONO REPORTEDLY CONSIDERS QUITTING FOOTBALL AFTER FATAL COLLISION — AS ONLINE 𝘢bu𝘴e SPREADS TO HIS FAMILY
A professional football goalkeeper is reportedly considering walking away from the sport following a tragic on-field collision that claimed the life of another player.
Jesús Owono, the 25-year-old FC Andorra goalkeeper and Equatorial Guinea international, has been left emotionally devastated after Jesús de Miguel, a 30-year-old forward for CD Tenerife, died following a collision between the two players during a Spanish second-division match.
What began as an ordinary football match has since become an unimaginable tᩚraɢedy for two families.
While one family is mourning the loss of a husband and father, another is struggling to support a young goalkeeper who is reportedly battling overwhelming guilt and emotional distress.
The situation has become even more painful after people close to Owono revealed that online harassment has reportedly extended beyond the goalkeeper himself to members of his family.
THE COLLISION THAT CHANGED TWO FAMILIES FOREVER
The incident occurred on November 2, 2026, during a match between FC Andorra and CD Tenerife in Spain’s second division.
In the closing moments of the game, Owono rushed out of his goal to challenge for a long ball.
As he attempted to clear the danger, he collided heavily with De Miguel.
The Tenerife forward suffered serious injuries and went into cardiac arrest on the pitch. Medical personnel immediately rushed to provide emergency treatment before he was transported to hospital.
Despite efforts to save him, De Miguel died on November 3.
He was just 30 years old and left behind his wife and an 18-month-old child.
The news sent shockwaves through Spanish football, with clubs, players and supporters expressing their condolences to his family.
Owono was sent off following the incident, but the tᩚraɢedy has extended far beyond the disciplinary consequences of a football match.
“THESE ARE THE MOST DIFFICULT DAYS OF MY LIFE”
After remaining silent in the immediate aftermath, Owono released an emotional statement through FC Andorra on November 4.
He described the period as the hardest days of his life.
“These are the most difficult days of my life,” he wrote.
“I struggle to find the words, and it is very hard for me to come to terms with what has happened.”
He continued by expressing his profound sadness over De Miguel’s dєatᩚh.
“I feel enormous pain over the loss of Jesus. I think of him, his family, and all the people who loved him.”
Owono also acknowledged that there would be questions and proceedings to address, saying he would face them with the utmost respect.
But for the moment, he said, his thoughts were entirely with De Miguel and the people grieving his loss.
“Rest in peace, Jesus.”
The statement offered a glimpse into the emotional burden the young goalkeeper was carrying.
HE HAS REPORTEDLY THOUGHT ABOUT LEAVING FOOTBALL
According to Ana Maye, general coordinator of Equatorial Guinea’s men’s national team, Owono has been struggling to cope with the consequences of the tᩚraɢedy.
Maye, who has known the goalkeeper since he was 14, spoke about his emotional condition in an interview with Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo.
She revealed that the incident had affected him so deeply that he had even considered retiring from professional football.
“No matter how much we tell him, he’s deeply saddened,” she explained.
She said Owono was particularly distressed when thinking about De Miguel’s widow and their young child, who had lost their father.
“He doesn’t know how to handle all of this,” she said.
For someone whose career has been built around football, the possibility of walking away represents just how profoundly the tᩚraɢedy has affected him.
However, retirement has not been officially announced, and those close to him say he needs time and support before making any decisions about his future.
THE HARASSMENT HAS REPORTEDLY REACHED HIS FAMILY
As Owono struggles with the emotional aftermath, another troubling issue has emerged.
According to Maye, online 𝘢bu𝘴e and hostile messages have reportedly extended to members of his family.
His younger brother, who also plays football in the Basque Country, has allegedly been subjected to insults and accusations from people connected to the football environment.
Maye said some individuals had reportedly called him a murderer, despite the fact that he was not involved in the collision.
Owono’s sister, who studies in Valencia, has also reportedly been affected by the hostility.
The goalkeeper himself deactivated his Instagram account after receiving abusive messages, including comments accusing him of murder.
Maye expressed concern that the pressure was affecting not only Owono but also relatives who had nothing to do with the incident.
She called for people to show compassion and allow the family privacy during an exceptionally difficult period.
The tᩚraɢedy has already devastated De Miguel’s loved ones. Those close to Owono have stressed that directing 𝘢bu𝘴e at his relatives will not undo what happened.
FC ANDORRA PROVIDES PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT
FC Andorra has confirmed its support for Owono and other members of the club affected by De Miguel’s dєatᩚh.
The club has arranged professional psychological assistance to help the goalkeeper process the traumatic experience.
According to reports, those supporting him have also been using examples of other athletes who have experienced similar tragedies to help him understand that he is not alone.
His mother has travelled to Andorra to be by his side, while other family members have continued supporting him from elsewhere.
The Equatorial Guinea Football Federation has also expressed its solidarity with the goalkeeper.
Owono was left out of the national team’s squad for the November Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Zimbabwe.
The decision gave him time away from international football while he dealt with the emotional consequences of the incident.
THE FOOTBALL WORLD FACES A DIFFICULT RETURN
The tᩚraɢedy has raised difficult questions about how football clubs support players who experience fatal incidents during competition.
For Owono, returning to the pitch may be far more complicated than simply recovering physically or preparing for another match.
He must also confront the emotional weight of knowing that another player lost his life following a collision in which he was involved.
FC Andorra manager Carles Manso has said the club will support the goalkeeper and give him the time and space he needs.
Speaking ahead of the team’s return to competition, Manso said Owono had not yet decided whether or when he would return to football.
The club’s priority, he indicated, was to respect the player’s situation rather than pressure him into making an immediate decision.
Meanwhile, the Spanish football community continues to remember De Miguel and support his grieving family.
TWO FAMILIES, TWO DIFFERENT KINDS OF PAIN
Behind the headlines are two families whose lives have been changed forever.
De Miguel’s wife and young child must face a future without their husband and father.
At the same time, Owono’s relatives are trying to protect and support a young man who is reportedly struggling to process an event that has changed his life.
There is no way to reverse what happened on that pitch.
But those close to Owono are asking the public to understand that a tragic sporting collision should not become an excuse to harass an entire family.
At just 25, the goalkeeper now faces a future filled with uncertainty.
Whether he eventually returns to professional football or decides to step away, his immediate well-being remains the most important concern.
His words continue to capture the pain of the moment:
“These are the most difficult days of my life.”
And for two families grieving in very different ways, the hardest days are far from over.