Spanish football has been plunged into mourning following the death of CD Tenerife striker Jesús de Miguel Alameda, whose journey from the lower divisions to professional football was tragically cut short at the age of 30 after an on-field collision during a league encounter against FC Andorra.
De Miguel died on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, a day after suffering a cardiac arrest following a collision with Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono during a Spanish second-division fixture at the Estadio Heliodoro Rodríguez López.
The incident occurred seven minutes into stoppage time on Monday when Owono rushed out of his penalty area to intercept a long ball and struck the Tenerife forward in the chest with his knee.
De Miguel immediately collapsed, prompting players from both teams to call for medical assistance. Medical personnel spent several minutes attending to him before he was transported by ambulance to hospital.
Although he was initially reported to be in a stable condition, his health deteriorated overnight, with Tenerife confirming his death at approximately 8:00 am local time on Tuesday.
Beyond the tragic circumstances surrounding his passing, De Miguel leaves behind a football journey defined by persistence, determination and an eventual breakthrough after years of competing outside Spain’s top professional divisions.
Born in Madrid on September 21, 1996, De Miguel developed his footballing abilities through local youth academies, beginning his journey with CDE Lugo Fuenlabrada before joining the youth setup at CD Leganés.
He subsequently progressed into Leganés’ reserve team, where he began gaining experience in senior football. However, rather than securing an immediate breakthrough into the first team, the striker embarked on a lengthy journey through Spain’s lower divisions.
In 2016, he returned to Lugo Fuenlabrada, where he enjoyed an encouraging spell, scoring 14 goals in one campaign.
His performances attracted attention, leading to a move to Internacional de Madrid in July 2017. He helped the club secure promotion to the Segunda División B, gaining valuable experience in the Spanish football pyramid.
De Miguel later joined CF Fuenlabrada in 2018 before experiencing further spells with AD Unión Adarve and CDA Navalcarnero.
At Navalcarnero, he continued developing his reputation as a reliable goalscorer, recording 11 goals during the 2019/20 season as the club secured promotion to the third division.
His next major opportunity arrived in July 2021 when he joined Unionistas de Salamanca. The forward enjoyed an impressive 2021/22 campaign, scoring 12 goals and establishing himself as one of the team’s important attacking figures.
However, it was his subsequent move to CD Castellón in January 2023 that proved particularly significant in transforming his career.
After initially experiencing the challenges of another promotion campaign, De Miguel delivered his most productive season in 2023/24, scoring 16 league goals and finishing as the leading scorer in his group of Spain’s Primera Federación.
His contributions played an important role in Castellón’s promotion to the Segunda División, finally giving him an opportunity to establish himself in professional football.
He made his second-tier debut in August 2024 and announced himself at that level with two goals in a 5-2 victory over Almería the following month.
Across his time at Castellón, De Miguel scored 25 goals in 88 appearances, leaving behind an important contribution to the club’s successful promotion campaign.
In July 2025, Tenerife secured his services on a three-year contract following their relegation to the third division.
The move proved another defining chapter in his career. De Miguel immediately became an important figure in Tenerife’s promotion push, scoring six goals in his first five matches and eventually finishing the 2025/26 campaign with 11 league goals.
His contributions helped Tenerife win their group and secure an immediate return to the Spanish second division.
Interestingly, his connection with Tenerife stretched further back than his official arrival at the club.
In May 2018, while representing Internacional de Madrid, De Miguel had already played at the Heliodoro Rodríguez López Stadium during a promotion play-off against Tenerife’s reserve team. Years later, the same stadium became his home ground.
Despite attracting interest from other clubs following his impressive performances, he chose to remain with Tenerife and continue his journey with the club.
Away from football, De Miguel was a family man. He is survived by his partner, Maria, and their young daughter, who was born in 2025.
His death has generated widespread reactions across Spanish football, with Tenerife, FC Andorra and several major clubs expressing condolences to his family, teammates and supporters.
UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin also announced that a moment of silence would be observed before European matches in his honour, while the Spanish Football Federation postponed scheduled fixtures as a mark of respect.
For a player who spent much of his career fighting for opportunities in the lower divisions, De Miguel’s story was ultimately one of perseverance and achievement. He worked his way into professional football, helped two clubs secure promotion and established himself as an important attacking figure at Tenerife.
His journey, which began in the youth ranks of Madrid before taking him through several Spanish clubs, ended far too soon. But his contributions to Castellón and Tenerife will remain part of his footballing legacy.
