Hundreds gather for funeral of Tenerife striker Jesus de Miguel after fatal on-field collision
Family, teammates and leading figures from Spanish football attended the funeral of Jesus de Miguel, who died following a collision with a goalkeeper during a match earlier this week.
By Hassan Okoye ·
Hundreds of mourners gathered on Thursday for the funeral of Jesus de Miguel, the Tenerife striker who died following a collision with another player during a match earlier this week.
De Miguel suffered a cardiac arrest after clashing with Andorra goalkeeper Jesus Owono on Monday, and was pronounced dead in hospital the following day.
Family, friends and teammates attended the service in Navahermosa, a village in central Spain where the player's parents were reportedly born. His teammates travelled from the Canary Islands for the funeral, and Spain coach Luis de la Fuente and Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez were also in attendance.
In a statement read by De Miguel's agent, Manuel Hernandez, the family said: "Feeling so much affection for Jesus and seeing the impact he had on so many people is something we will always carry with us."
The family added: "Jesus leaves a void that is impossible to fill, but also cherished memories for all of us who were fortunate enough to share our lives with him. Thank you for loving him and for standing by us."
De la Fuente told reporters: "It is with deep sorrow and genuine emotion that we offer our condolences and our respect. It is the best way to show that the soccer community stands united, by sending a very warm embrace to all his loved ones."
A funeral car draped with floral arrangements arrived at a church in the village, with dozens of people walking behind it. After the mass, pallbearers carried De Miguel to the local cemetery. The village has declared three days of mourning, with flags flying at half-mast at the town hall.
Owono released a statement on Wednesday saying he is experiencing "the most difficult days of my life". He went on: "I struggle to find the words, and I find it very hard to process what has happened. I feel enormous pain at the loss of Jesus. I think of him, his family, and all the people who loved him."
Spanish police have opened an investigation into possible involuntary manslaughter, which is a routine procedure for a death deemed non-natural. Investigators will reportedly assess whether Owono's challenge went beyond the normal course of play.
Tenerife's match against Granada and Andorra's game with Mallorca, both initially scheduled for this weekend, have been postponed. On Sunday, Tenerife's main rivals Las Palmas will play against Eldense in blue and white colours, typically worn by Tenerife, in tribute to De Miguel. Fans have also been invited to Tenerife's stadium on Saturday to pay their respects in what his agent has called "the last goodbye".
