Tenerife forward Jesús de Miguel has died after he suffered cardiac arrest from an on-field collision in a Spanish second-division match, his club said Tuesday. He was 30.
De Miguel was challenging for the ball during a game on Monday when he was struck in the chest by Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono during the final minutes at Estadio Heliodoro Rodríguez López.
De Miguel was taken to a hospital and the match, tied 2-2, was suspended in the 108th minute.
Tenerife said in a statement that De Miguel died at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday. The club located on Spain's Canary Islands said it was “heartbroken.”
De Miguel, a Madrid native, made his professional debut in 2015 with Leganés B and has since played for a number of lower-divisions clubs in Spain. He joined Tenerife last year.
“There are no words of comfort,” the club statement read. “There is absolutely nothing that can alleviate this profound sense of sorrow. We stand with his devastated family, his loved ones, and the entire Tenerife community.”
Andorra, which is owned by former Barcelona star Gerard Pique, also offered its condolences, along with other clubs, the Spanish soccer federation and La Liga.
“We wish to extend our deepest condolences to the family of Jesús de Miguel, to all his colleagues and friends, and to CD Tenerife. May he rest in peace,” Andorra said in a statement.
The Spanish football federation postponed two Copa del Rey matches and one Copa de la Reina matches to be held later on Tuesday.
Life-threatening injuries from collisions in football are extremely rare.
Last year in Spain, a 19-year-old goalkeeper died from head injuries suffered during a collision in a fifth-division match. Colindres goalkeeper Raúl Ramírez had two cardiorespiratory arrests, one on the field and then in the ambulance while being transported to a hospital. He was declared brain dead two days later.
In 2001, Ukrainian goalkeeper Serhiy Perkhun was playing for CSKA Moscow when he died from head injuries received in a collision during a match.
