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Following the collision, De Miguel initially dropped to his knees before collapsing onto his back. The match, which was tied 2-2 at the time, was immediately abandoned as medical staff attended to the player. Tenerife confirmed the tragic news on Tuesday, stating that the forward suffered cardiac arrest. While Spanish police have launched an investigation into potential involuntary manslaughter—a standard procedure in Spain for non-natural deaths—the chief prosecutor for Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Jose Luis Sanchez-Jauregui, noted that criminal proceedings are considered unlikely as the incident occurred during the normal course of play.
A Community and Global Footballing Tribute
In the wake of the tragedy, Tenerife has declared six days of mourning and suspended all activities across its men’s, women’s, and youth teams. The club has also requested the postponement of their upcoming league fixture against Granada. Rayco Garcia, the club’s largest shareholder, confirmed that the player’s body will be transported to his family in Navahermosa, with a final farewell ceremony planned. Fans are expected to gather at the stadium this Saturday to pay their respects to the Madrid-born forward, who joined the club last year after a career spanning several lower-division sides.
The football world has responded with an outpouring of grief. Gerard Pique, whose club FC Andorra was involved in the match, expressed his condolences on social media, as did figures including Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Kylian Mbappe. Across Europe, clubs such as Manchester United and Liverpool shared messages of support, while the Spanish Football Federation postponed all Copa del Rey and Copa de la Reina matches scheduled for mid-week. UEFA has also announced that a moment of silence will be observed before all its matches this week.
Addressing the Aftermath
The incident has had wider repercussions beyond the pitch. FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesus Owono, who was shown a straight red card for the challenge, has been the subject of mistaken identity, leading to a separate incident where another footballer, Michel Owono of Can Vidalet, was forced to condemn racist abuse directed at him by individuals who confused the two players. Meanwhile, Tenerife president Felipe Minambres has emphasised the need for professional psychological support for the club's players and their families as they process the loss of their teammate.
