By Basant El-Faramawy
Spanish police have opened an investigation into possible involuntary manslaughter after a soccer player died following a collision with an opposing goalkeeper during a second-division match in the Canary Islands.
Collision during match
Tenerife forward Jesús de Miguel, 30, was challenging for the ball near midfield on Monday when Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono rushed from his area and struck de Miguel in the chest. Owono was shown a straight red card, and the match, tied 2-2, was abandoned. De Miguel suffered cardiac arrest and was taken to a hospital, where he died on Tuesday.
Club and league reactions
Tenerife said it was “heartbroken” and extended condolences to de Miguel’s wife and daughter. Andorra, owned by former Barcelona star Gerard Piqué, also offered condolences, as did the Spanish soccer federation, La Liga, and clubs including Real Madrid, Manchester United, and Liverpool. The federation postponed several cup matches scheduled for Tuesday.
Investigation launched
Spain’s National Police announced the investigation on Tuesday. Under Spanish law, deaths from non-natural causes, including accidents, are subject to judicial inquiry. Owono’s Instagram account, which had nearly 30,000 followers, was deactivated on Tuesday.
Previous fatal collisions in soccer
Life-threatening injuries from on-field collisions are rare. Last year, a 19-year-old goalkeeper in Spain’s fifth division died from head injuries sustained in a collision. In 2001, Ukrainian goalkeeper Serhiy Perkhun died after a collision while playing for CSKA Moscow, and Málaga goalkeeper José Antonio Gallardo died in 1987 following a collision in a second-division game.
