The football community is in mourning following the tragic death of
The incident occurred during added time as De Miguel challenged for the ball near the midfield line. He was struck in the chest by the onrushing Andorra goalkeeper, Jesus Owono, who was subsequently issued a straight red card for the challenge. Following the collision, the match, which was tied at 2-2, was abandoned. De Miguel was transported to a hospital, but Tenerife confirmed in a statement that he passed away at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, expressing that the club is heartbroken by the loss.
A Career Cut Short and a History of On-Field Tragedies
Born in Madrid, De Miguel began his professional journey in 2015 with Leganés B. Over the following years, he gained experience across various lower-division clubs in Spain before securing a move to Tenerife last year. His passing marks a somber addition to a history of tragic deaths that have occurred on the football pitch, reminding the sport of the inherent risks faced by athletes.
The football world has previously been shaken by similar incidents involving high-profile players. In 2003, Cameroon midfielder Marc-Vivien Foe collapsed during a FIFA Confederations Cup semi-final against Colombia in Lyon. Despite medical intervention, he passed away shortly after, with a post-mortem later identifying hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Just a year later, in 2004, Brazilian striker Cristiano Junior died after a collision with goalkeeper Subrata Paul during the Federation Cup final in India, an event that prompted significant scrutiny regarding medical standards in the region.
Other notable tragedies include the 2007 death of Sevilla’s Antonio Puerta, who collapsed during a La Liga match against Getafe, and the 2017 passing of Indonesian goalkeeper Choirul Huda, who suffered fatal head and neck injuries following an accidental collision with a teammate. More recently, in 2024, Uruguayan defender Juan Izquierdo died in Brazil five days after collapsing during a Copa Libertadores match for Nacional due to a cardiac arrest secondary to an arrhythmia. These events continue to serve as painful reminders of the fragility of life within the professional game.
