Tributes have poured in from across the football world for Jesus de Miguel, the Tenerife forward who died on Tuesday at the age of 30 after an on-field collision during a Spanish second division match.
De Miguel was challenged by Andorra goalkeeper Jesus Owono, whose knee appeared to strike him in the chest. Medical staff treated the forward on the pitch before he was taken to hospital, and he suffered a cardiac arrest in the ambulance.
"There are no words of comfort. There is absolutely nothing to mitigate this feeling full of sadness," Tenerife said in a statement confirming his death on Tuesday morning. The club announced six days of official mourning, with all club activity suspended, and said its players, staff and officials would attend the funeral in the village of Navahermosa, Toledo, in central Spain. A tribute will also be held at the club's home ground, Heliodoro Stadium, on Saturday at 6 pm local time.
The Royal Spanish Football Federation postponed all domestic matches on Tuesday as a sign of respect and later extended the suspension until Friday, November 6. UEFA, European football's governing body, said a minute's silence would be observed at all Champions League matches this week. "We have searched for words and found only silence. In that silence, our hearts and thoughts are with his family, his teammates, everyone at CD Tenerife, and all those who mourn this tragic loss," UEFA said.
The tributes began on Tuesday night at the matches involving Barcelona and Aston Villa, where the victims of last week's train accident in Toledo, which killed 69 people, were also remembered. The Champions League anthem was not played as a mark of respect.
"Wherever [de Miguel] is, I hope he finds his way," Barcelona forward Raphinha told the media after his side's 3-0 win. "I want to send his family strength .. and today, not talk about football." He added: "After I saw the news, I didn't feel good. In the end, he was a fellow football player. This could have happened to any of us. It could have happened to me. It's very difficult to go out and play a game in these circumstances. He was a player who was the same age as me. Maybe that's why it affected me so much."
Before the match between Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich, a screen displayed a portrait of de Miguel smiling with his arms outstretched as he ran on the pitch. Social media was flooded with condolences from clubs and fans worldwide, with leading players based in Spain, including Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Ferran Torres and Pedri, paying tribute alongside veterans such as Paul Pogba. Hundreds of supporters laid flowers, lit candles and pinned photographs of de Miguel outside gate 9 of Estadio Heliodoro, the ground where the collision occurred in his final match.
Owono released a statement on Tuesday night saying he was devastated by the incident, which he said would stay with him "for the rest of my life". "I want everyone to know that I never intended to hurt anyone. It was a terrible accident, something I wish with all my heart I could take back," he wrote on social media. "No words can express the pain, guilt and heartbreak I feel right now."
Local police have opened an investigation into the incident, although Owono is considered unlikely to face criminal proceedings despite calls from some fans for involuntary manslaughter charges. After the collision, the goalkeeper did not turn back towards de Miguel and instead walked immediately to the touchline, anticipating the red card that referee Manuel Angel Perez Hernandez swiftly showed. Videos posted online showed Tenerife fans chanting "assassin" at Owono as de Miguel was stretchered to the ambulance.
The incident was a painful reminder for former French defender Patrick Battiston, who was knocked unconscious by a similar challenge from West German goalkeeper Harald Schumacher during the 1982 World Cup semifinal. Battiston had to be given oxygen on the pitch before slipping into a coma, while Schumacher was not sent off, showed no remorse at the time and only apologised in person later. Battiston made a full recovery and resumed playing. "It really shocked and moved me," Battiston told French outlet L'Equipe. "Especially to see his teammates and opponents take their heads in their hands. What happened is terrible."
