Spanish police probe death of 30-year-old forward after on-field collision

Spanish police launched an investigation into the death of a 30-year-old soccer player in Tenerife, a city on Spain's Canary Islands. Authorities are examining the circumstances under which Jesús de Miguel suffered cardiac arrest after colliding with an opposing goalkeeper during a second-division match on Monday.

De Miguel, who plays forward for CD Tenerife, died after the incident. The match was abandoned after it ended with a 2-2 tie. The National Police confirmed on Tuesday that prosecutors are also involved in the review of the case.

The collision occurred near midfield during added time. Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono rushed out of his defensive area to challenge for a long ball. De Miguel was attempting to reach the same ball when Owono struck him in the chest. De Miguel curled up on his knees, clutching his torso, before falling onto his back. He was transported to a hospital but did not survive.

Owono was shown a straight red card for the impact. As he walked off the field, he turned back to join teammates who were checking on De Miguel. Owono's club, Andorra, is owned by former Barcelona star Gerard Pique. Andorra released a statement offering condolences to De Miguel's family, colleagues, and the Tenerife community.

De Miguel was born in Madrid and made his professional debut in 2015 with Leganés B. He played for several lower-division clubs in Spain before joining Tenerife last year. His club described itself as heartbroken. A statement from the club read, "There are no words of comfort. There is absolutely nothing that can alleviate this profound sense of sorrow."

The Spanish soccer federation postponed two Copa del Rey matches and one Copa de la Reina match scheduled for later Tuesday. Real Madrid players held a minute of silence during training. Kylian Mbappé, a forward for Real Madrid, posted on social media that he felt "so much sadness" and that there were no words. Clubs Espanyol, Manchester United, and Liverpool also offered condolences.

Fatal collisions in soccer are rare. Last year, 19-year-old goalkeeper Raúl Ramírez died from head injuries in a fifth-division match in Spain. In 2001, Ukrainian goalkeeper Serhiy Perkhun died from head injuries sustained in a collision while playing for CSKA Moscow.