Spanish police have initiated an investigation into possible involuntary manslaughter following the death of Tenerife forward Jesús de Miguel, who died after an on-field collision with opposing goalkeeper Jesús Owono. The incident occurred during added time of a second-division match between Tenerife and Andorra.
De Miguel, 30, was challenging for the ball near midfield when Owono, the Andorra goalkeeper, struck him in the chest. Owono was shown a straight red card for the collision. De Miguel was taken to a hospital after initially falling to his knees and clutching his torso. The match, which was tied 2-2, was abandoned following the incident.
Spain's National Police confirmed the investigation Tuesday, and prosecutors will also be involved. De Miguel's club, Tenerife, expressed deep sorrow, stating they were "heartbroken" and offered condolences to his family and the community. Andorra also extended its sympathies.
De Miguel, a native of Madrid, began his professional career in 2015 and joined Tenerife last year. The collision has drawn widespread condolences from across the soccer world, including from Real Madrid, Kylian Mbappé, and English clubs Manchester United and Liverpool.
The Spanish soccer federation postponed several Copa del Rey matches scheduled for Tuesday in response to the tragedy. Life-threatening injuries from collisions in soccer are rare, but this incident follows other recent fatalities, including a 19-year-old goalkeeper in Spain last year and Ukrainian goalkeeper Serhiy Perkhun in 2001, both of whom died from head injuries sustained during matches.