FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono was reportedly “visibly shaken” and distraught following a collision with opponent Jesús de Miguel, who tragically died from his injuries. The on-field incident occurred during a match between FC Andorra and CD Tenerife on Monday.
De Miguel, 30, suffered cardiac arrest after the collision, which happened in the seventh minute of stoppage time as both players went for a loose ball near midfield. Owono had come out of his net, and the two players collided. De Miguel was treated on the field for several minutes before being taken to the hospital by ambulance.
Owono was shown a red card for the play and reportedly heard shouts of “Murderer” as he left the pitch. The following day, CD Tenerife announced De Miguel's death, stating he passed away at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday.
In the locker room after the match, Owono was described as “crying and praying” and “visibly shaken.” A source close to the goalkeeper described him as a “caring” and “very kind” person with “no malice.” FC Andorra defended their player, asserting that Owono did not intend to harm De Miguel.
Following De Miguel's death, Spanish police have opened an investigation for possible involuntary manslaughter. All other soccer matches scheduled for Tuesday in Spain were postponed by the Spanish Football Federation.
FC Andorra expressed their deep sorrow in a statement: “With broken hearts and devastated, we want to send our deepest condolences to the family of Jesús de Miguel, all his teammates, friends, and CD Tenerife. Rest in peace.” The club also noted that Owono had intended to issue a public statement and offer support to De Miguel's family prior to his passing.
Owono has since deactivated his social media accounts after reportedly receiving online abuse and has not publicly addressed the incident.