New details from a preliminary autopsy have revealed what happened to the Spanish footballer Jesús de Miguel after he collapsed on the field after crashing into FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono during a game on November 2.
He was rushed to hospital, but his club announced the following morning that he had passed away.
The incident sparked an investigation and drew attention to the goalkeeper’s role in the collision.
An autopsy report has revealed the real cause of passing of Jesús de Miguel
Manuel Queimadelos/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images
According to a preliminary autopsy report from the Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, De Miguel passed from “accidental chest trauma.”
Spanish outlets El Día and Canarias7 reported the findings. The autopsy took place on November 3, the day he passed away, and its findings were submitted to the Second Investigative Court of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
Eusebio Garcia del Castillo/Europa Press
The report described the chest injury as a cause consistent with his passing. However, the investigation is not over. Toxicology results and other medical information are still pending.
Authorities are also expected to review the results of medical examinations and a CT scan De Miguel underwent at the hospital.
The judge is looking into the medical care he received after collapsing, as well as what happened while he was being taken to hospital. Reports said he suffered cardiac arrest in the ambulance and had to be resuscitated.
Jesús de Miguel collapsed after colliding with a goalkeeper during a game
🔵⚪️ | Golpe fortísimo de Owono sobre Jesús de Miguel que hace que salten todas las alarmas. 🇪🇸👀
🙏🏼 Pronta recuperación a Jesús y que todo quede en un susto
🏟️ Tenerife – Andorra pic.twitter.com/NXopIJ7p9H
— Laliga News (@laligaa_neews) November 2, 2026
The fatal accident happened during a match between CD Tenerife and FC Andorra on November 2, as reported by Bored Panda.
De Miguel, a forward for Tenerife in Spain’s Segunda División, was trying to reach the ball in the final minutes of the game when goalkeeper Jesús Owono collided with him.
The impact left De Miguel on the ground. Players quickly called for medical assistance as staff rushed onto the pitch to treat him.
The match was stopped and eventually abandoned. Owono was shown a red card for his part in the collision.
According to the match report cited by El Día, the referee said the goalkeeper had used “excessive force” while competing for the ball.
Medical staff treated De Miguel before taking him by ambulance to Nuestra Señora de Candelaria University Hospital in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
He reportedly suffered cardiac arrest during the journey and needed to be resuscitated.
His condition was initially described as stable but serious. However, Tenerife later announced that his neurological condition had worsened.
The club confirmed his passing at around 8 a.m. local time on November 3.
Following the announcement of his passing, Spanish police opened an investigation into the incident
Following De Miguel’s passing, Spain’s National Police confirmed that an investigation had been opened.
Fatal accidents considered non-natural are subject to judicial investigation in Spain. This means authorities must examine the circumstances surrounding the incident, even when no criminal wrongdoing has been established.
The Second Investigative Court of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is overseeing the inquiry.
Investigators are examining the collision, the medical treatment De Miguel received, and the events during his transfer to hospital.
The Associated Press also reported a possible involuntary manslaughter investigation.
However, Santa Cruz de Tenerife chief prosecutor José Luis Sánchez-Jáuregui told Spanish news agency EFE that criminal proceedings were unlikely.
The investigation does not mean that Owono has been found responsible for De Miguel’s passing.
Jesús Owono, who was involved in the collision, also spoke out after the footballer’s passing
Martin Silva Cosentino/NurPhoto
Owono, the 25-year-old goalkeeper involved in the collision, shared a statement on November 4 through FC Andorra’s official social media account.
He said he was struggling to process what had happened and expressed his grief over the loss of the Tenerife forward.
“These are the most difficult days of my life,” he wrote.
“I’m struggling to find the words and finding it very hard to process what has happened.”
“I feel immense pain at the loss of Jesús. I’m thinking of him, his family, and all the people who loved him.”
🚨 The goalkeeper Jeśus Owono speaks for first time with a statement after Jesús de Miguel’s tragic passing.
“These are being the most difficult days of my life. It’s hard for me to find the words and I find it very difficult to assimilate anything that has happened.”
“I feel enormous pain for the loss of Jesus. I think of him, his family and all the people who loved him. I know that there will be many issues to address, I will face whatever comes with all due respect.”
“But right now, honestly, I can’t think of anything other than Jesus and the pain we are experiencing. Rest in peace, Jesus.”
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) November 4, 2026
He acknowledged that there would be questions to address following the incident, but said his thoughts were with the player and his loved ones.
“I know there will be many issues to address, and I will face whatever comes with the utmost respect. But right now, honestly, I can’t think of anything other than Jesús and the pain we are experiencing,” he added.
“Rest in peace, Jesús.”
Owono reportedly deactivated his social media accounts after the incident.
FC Andorra also asked people to respect the situation and the families involved during what it described as an extremely difficult time.
De Miguel’s club also paid an emotional tribute to the player
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CD Tenerife also shared an emotional statement about the loss.
“Broken with pain, with a lump in the throat and unable to believe this is true, from CD Tenerife we communicate the tragic d*ath,” the club wrote.
“There are no words of comfort; there is absolutely nothing that can ease this feeling full of sadness. We are with his desolate family, with his loved ones, with all the Tenerife people who are crying today for this cruel outcome.”
FC Andorra also shared its condolences, saying, “We want to convey our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and teammates of Jesús de Miguel, as well as to the entire family of CD Tenerife. We are with you in these difficult moments.”
Tributes also came from some of the biggest names in Spanish football. Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, and Real Betis were among the clubs that expressed their sadness.
CD Tenerife announced a memorial event in De Miguel’s honor
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The club later announced that it would hold a public memorial for De Miguel at the Estadio Heliodoro Rodríguez López on Saturday, November 7.
The event is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. local time and will allow supporters to remember the player.
In its announcement, Tenerife described the memorial as a chance to celebrate the memories he created at the club.
Andres Gutierrez/Anadolu via Getty Images
“It will be an emotional and heartfelt event on stage, where we have shared his dedication so many times, celebrated his goals, and lived through some of the happiest moments of our recent history,” the club wrote on Facebook.
“Returning together to this place to pay tribute represents an opportunity to thank him for his contribution to the club and to express the affection that the great Tenerife family has always shown him,” it added.
The club also said De Miguel’s family was grateful for the messages of support but asked people to respect their privacy during this difficult time.
Spanish media reported that he is survived by his wife, María, and their 16-month-old daughter, Carla.
“It was a bad challenge,” wrote one netizen
