Spain’s national team coach Luis de la Fuente and Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez joined hundreds of mourners in Navahermosa to honor the 30-year-old Tenerife striker, whose death has prompted a police investigation and tributes across Spanish football.
Hundreds of mourners gathered in Navahermosa, central Spain, on Thursday, November 5, 2026, for the funeral of CD Tenerife striker Jesús de Miguel, who died after a collision during a professional soccer match. Spain’s national team coach Luis de la Fuente and Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez were among the prominent football figures attending the service for the 30-year-old player.
Family members, teammates, friends and local residents filled the streets as a funeral vehicle covered with floral arrangements approached the Church of San Miguel Arcángel. The procession brought together people from across Spanish football in a public farewell to a player whose death had shocked the sporting community.
De Miguel died on Tuesday, November 3, at the Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora de Candelaria in Tenerife. He had been taken there following a collision with FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono during a Spanish second-division match the previous evening.
Football Leaders Gather for Emotional Farewell
The funeral brought senior representatives from several of Spain’s most prominent football organizations to Navahermosa, a small municipality in the province of Toledo. The entire Tenerife squad traveled from the Canary Islands to support De Miguel’s relatives and honor their teammate.
Among those attending were Rafael Louzán, president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, and Miguel Ángel Gil Marín, chief executive of Atlético Madrid. Representatives of FC Andorra and other clubs also joined the gathering, reflecting the widespread response to the player’s death.
Reuters reported that members of the Tenerife squad, club staff and majority shareholder Rayco García attended the service. Several players from CD Castellón, one of De Miguel’s former clubs, also traveled to Navahermosa to pay their respects.
The funeral procession moved through the village toward the church before the coffin was taken to the cemetery for burial. Mourners followed on foot, while local residents gathered along the route in a quiet expression of sympathy for the family.
De Miguel was born in Madrid, but his parents and grandparents came from Navahermosa. He had spent time there during his childhood, giving the village a personal connection to the footballer whose career had taken him to clubs across Spain.
Local authorities declared three days of official mourning, with flags at municipal buildings lowered to half-staff. The measures recognized the loss felt by the player’s relatives and the wider community.
Family Requests Privacy and Thanks Supporters
Before the funeral, De Miguel’s family issued a statement expressing gratitude for the support received following his death. The message was read by his agent, Manuel Hernández, as relatives prepared for the service.
The family described the many expressions of affection as a source of comfort during an extremely difficult period. They also asked that their privacy be respected while they mourned.
Friends and teammates remembered De Miguel as more than a professional athlete. His death had brought together people who knew him personally and others who had followed his career from the stands.
The family’s wishes remained central to Thursday’s events, even as national football figures arrived to offer their condolences. The gathering provided an opportunity for private grief and public remembrance to take place in the same community.
Fatal Collision During Tenerife-Andorra Match
The incident occurred Monday, November 2, during the closing stages of Tenerife’s second-division match against FC Andorra at the Heliodoro Rodríguez López Stadium in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
De Miguel was challenging for a loose ball near midfield when Owono rushed out of his goal area. The two players collided as the goalkeeper attempted to reach the ball, with De Miguel suffering a forceful impact to his chest.
The striker collapsed on the field and required emergency medical attention. Medical personnel treated him before an ambulance transported him to the hospital, where he was admitted to intensive care.
Tenerife reported that De Miguel had suffered cardiac arrest following the collision. Emergency personnel restored his pulse during the ambulance journey, but his condition remained critical.
The game was abandoned with the score tied at 2-2. Owono was shown a red card after the challenge, with the referee’s match report describing excessive force during the contest for possession.
Despite medical efforts, De Miguel died at 8 a.m. on Tuesday. Tenerife announced his death in a statement expressing profound grief and offering support to his family, teammates and everyone affected by the tragedy.
The Associated Press reported that Spanish authorities subsequently opened an investigation into the circumstances of his death. The proceedings include consideration of possible involuntary manslaughter, although such an investigation does not establish that the goalkeeper committed a criminal offense.
Preliminary Autopsy Points to Chest Trauma
Spanish judicial authorities received a preliminary autopsy report on Wednesday, November 4. The investigating court in Santa Cruz de Tenerife subsequently authorized the transfer of De Miguel’s remains to mainland Spain for burial.
Spanish media reported that the initial forensic findings identified accidental chest trauma as a possible cause consistent with his death. However, additional medical examinations and laboratory results were still pending, making the findings preliminary rather than definitive.
Investigators are reviewing the circumstances of the collision and the medical response that followed. The inquiry also covers the emergency treatment De Miguel received before reaching the hospital.
The opening of a judicial investigation is a standard procedure in Spain when a death occurs under circumstances that require clarification. Authorities have not announced criminal charges against Owono, and investigators have not established that the collision involved criminal wrongdoing.
Owono expressed his distress in a statement released by FC Andorra on Wednesday. The goalkeeper described the period following the incident as the most difficult days of his life.
The tragedy has affected both clubs, with players and supporters responding to the loss of a professional athlete during a competitive match. The continuing investigation will determine whether any further legal or medical findings require action.
Spanish Football Plans Tributes and Postponements
The death has prompted changes to several scheduled matches in Spain’s professional football leagues. Tenerife’s game against Granada and Andorra’s match against Mallorca were postponed, allowing both clubs time to mourn.
CD Castellón also requested a postponement of its match against Eibar because of De Miguel’s previous connection to the club. LaLiga agreed to that request while deciding that the remaining first- and second-division fixtures would proceed.
The Spanish Footballers’ Association had requested the suspension of all weekend matches as a mark of respect. League officials instead announced commemorations across the scheduled games.
Teams will observe a minute of silence before kickoff. Matches will also pause at the first stoppage after the ninth minute, recognizing the number nine jersey worn by De Miguel.
Tenerife’s regional rival Las Palmas plans to wear blue and white, Tenerife’s traditional colors, during its match against Eldense. The gesture reflects the solidarity shown between rival clubs following the player’s death.
Tenerife has also organized a memorial gathering at the Heliodoro Rodríguez López Stadium for Saturday, November 7, at 6 p.m. local time. Supporters will be able to gather at the stadium to remember the striker and offer their respects.
For the community of Navahermosa, Thursday’s funeral marked the burial of a player whose life remained closely connected to the village through his family. The investigation into his death continues, while Spanish football prepares further tributes during the coming weekend.
IMAGE: Estadio Heliodoro Source Own work Author JUAN BLAS tenerife CC4