Andorra goalkeeper Jesus Owono has been described by his teammate as a man who “would never intentionally hurt anyone,” following the tragic death of Tenerife forward Jesus de Miguel. The 30-year-old striker passed away on Wednesday after sustaining a serious injury in a collision with Owono during a Spanish second-division match on Monday. De Miguel, a father of one who joined Tenerife in the summer of 2025, was pronounced dead after the incident, prompting an immediate and widespread outpouring of grief across the footballing world.
Teammate defends Andorra goalkeeper following fatal collision with Tenerife star
The emotional toll on Owono has been highlighted by Andorra centre-back Lautaro Spatz, who took to social media to defend his teammate. Spatz stated that Owono is “deeply affected” and suffering immensely in the wake of the accident. “Those of us who know him know the kind of person he is,” Spatz wrote, emphasizing that the goalkeeper’s actions were not malicious. The statement serves to shield Owono from potential public backlash, reinforcing the narrative that the collision was a tragic accident rather than a deliberate act of violence.
In response to the tragedy, the footballing community has united in mourning, with a minute’s silence observed at all European games this week. Tributes have poured in for De Miguel, marking the end of a promising career cut short by a rare and devastating on-pitch incident. As the investigation into the collision continues, the focus remains on supporting the families involved and honoring the memory of a player who was just beginning his tenure at Tenerife.
Source: BBC Sport
