A football match can change in a second, but few moments bring the game to a standstill like the one witnessed in Tenerife. A late collision left striker Jesús de Miguel motionless on the pitch, turning a closely contested Spanish second-division fixture into a frightening medical emergency.
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CD Tenerife were facing FC Andorra on November 2, with the score tied at 2-2 and stoppage time nearly over. In the 97th minute, Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono rushed out of his penalty area to clear a long ball near the center circle. As De Miguel moved towards it, Owono’s knee appeared to strike the Tenerife forward around the head and chest, sending him crashing to the ground.
The 30-year-old did not get back up. Players from both sides immediately called for medical assistance as the seriousness of the situation became clear. Medical staff rushed onto the pitch and treated De Miguel for several minutes. His teammates watched in distress, with some visibly breaking down in tears. Owono received a straight red card, but the goalkeeper’s dismissal quickly became secondary to the striker’s condition.
The forward eventually left the stadium in an ambulance. However, the ordeal reportedly became even more serious during the journey to hospital. According to Spanish media reports, including Marca, De Miguel suffered a cardiac arrest in the ambulance, and emergency personnel had to resuscitate him.
The reports sparked widespread concern across Spanish football. What began as a collision during a routine attempt to clear the ball had developed into a life-threatening emergency, leaving supporters and players waiting for news.
With the medical emergency taking priority, referee Manuel Ángel Pérez Hernández abandoned the match. Tenerife and Andorra had been level at 2-2, with only a short period of added time remaining. The officials consulted the players before deciding that continuing the fixture was not appropriate. The result remains subject to the relevant authorities’ decision.
After the incident, CD Tenerife confirmed that De Miguel had been admitted to the intensive care unit at the University Hospital of Nuestra Señora de Candelaria in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
Jesús de Miguel’s health update
In its statement, the club said, “CD Tenerife player Jesús de Miguel is admitted to the ICU at the University Hospital of Nuestra Señora de Candelaria, stable despite the severity of his condition.”
The update offered some relief, although the description of his condition made clear that the situation remained serious. Reports indicated that he was still unconscious while receiving hospital care. The club’s medical team remained at the hospital and said it would provide further information when available.
Messages of support soon arrived from across Spanish football. Real Madrid, Valencia, Rayo Vallecano, and the Spanish Football Federation were among those who wished the Tenerife striker a speedy recovery.
Real Madrid shared its support in a statement, writing, “All our support and strength to Jesús de Miguel during these very difficult times. From Real Madrid C. F., we wish him a speedy recovery.”
FC Andorra also expressed its concern, sending its best wishes to the player, his family, and everyone at Tenerife. The incident had overshadowed the result for both teams, and neither manager appeared for the scheduled post-match press conference.
For De Miguel, the episode comes during his second season with Tenerife. The Madrid-born striker joined the club last year and has built his career across several Spanish teams since making his senior debut with Leganés B in 2015. He has become an important attacking option for Tenerife, scoring 11 goals in 29 appearances for the club.
The match itself had already faced disruption before kickoff. Originally scheduled for November 1, the fixture was postponed after heavy rain prompted a weather alert in Tenerife and the preventive closure of several sports facilities, including the Heliodoro Rodríguez López stadium. Both teams eventually agreed to play on November 2 after the venue reopened.
But the football soon became an afterthought. The collision involving Owono and De Miguel brought the contest to an abrupt end and left the Tenerife forward’s health as the only concern that mattered.
Just a few minutes ago, CD Tenerife shared an update on their X handle, saying, “Jesus de Miguel’s medical condition has worsened neurologically. More information in the coming hours.”
As clubs, teammates, and supporters wait for further medical updates, the hope across Spanish football remains the same: that De Miguel makes a full recovery.