Tenerife forward dies after chest collision in Spanish soccer match

Jesús de Miguel, a 30-year-old forward for CD Tenerife, died Tuesday morning after suffering cardiac arrest during a soccer match in Spain’s second division. The club announced the death in a statement released on Tuesday.

De Miguel was playing against FC Andorra at Estadio Heliodoro Rodríguez López on Monday. During the final minutes of the game, he challenged for the ball and was struck in the chest by FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono. The impact caused De Miguel to collapse on the pitch.

Medics treated De Miguel on the field before transporting him to a hospital. The match, which was tied 2-2, was suspended in the 108th minute while players waited for news. De Miguel was taken to a hospital for treatment and died at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday.

The forward was born in Madrid and made his professional debut in 2015 with Leganés B. He spent several years playing for various lower-division clubs in Spain before joining Tenerife last year. The club, based in the Canary Islands, described itself as heartbroken by the loss.

“There are no words of comfort,” the Tenerife 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.”

FC Andorra, owned by former Barcelona star Gerard Piqué, also issued a statement of condolence. The Spanish soccer federation and La Liga joined other clubs in offering their sympathy. The federation postponed two Copa del Rey matches and one Copa de la Reina match scheduled for later Tuesday.

Deaths from collisions in soccer are rare. In Spain last year, 19-year-old goalkeeper Raúl Ramírez died from head injuries sustained in a fifth-division match. He suffered two cardiorespiratory arrests and was declared brain dead two days later. In 2001, Ukrainian goalkeeper Serhiy Perkhun died from head injuries received during a match for CSKA Moscow.