Death of Spanish footballer Jesús de Miguel: What next for goalkeeper Jesús Owon? Sports sanctions and possible criminal proceedings

FC Tenerife striker Jesus de Miguel collides with Andorra goalkeeper Jesus Owono. (AP photo) The death of Tenerife striker Jesús de Miguel after an on-pitch collision with FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono has plunged Spanish football into mourning. But as tributes pour in for the 30-year-old forward, attention has also turned to what could happen next for the goalkeeper involved in the tragic incident, including the possibility of sporting sanctions and criminal proceedings.Owono, the Equatorial Guinea international, is said to be in a state of shock after the incident and is deeply affected by De Miguel’s death. The goalkeeper also faced a wave of abuse on social media, with some users directing personal insults at him and calling him a “murderer”.However, the tragic outcome does not in itself prove that Owono committed a crime. Any sporting or legal consequences will depend on the assessment of the call, the circumstances surrounding it and the applicable rules. The two processes are separate and must not be confused with the grief surrounding De Miguel’s death.

What happened in the collision?

The incident occurred during Monday’s Spanish second division match against Andorra in Tenerife. De Miguel appeared to chase down a long ball near the halfway line as Tenerife looked for a late winner. Owono raced out of his area to clear the ball but collided with the striker, kneeing him in the chest.De Miguel fell to the ground and received medical attention on the pitch for more than five minutes. He was eventually taken away in an ambulance while Owono was shown a red card. The match ended in the seventh minute of the set time with a score of 2:2.Spanish media reported that De Miguel suffered a cardiac arrest while being taken to hospital and had to be resuscitated in an ambulance. His condition worsened overnight and Tenerife confirmed his death on Tuesday.The club paid an emotional tribute, saying: “Wracked with pain, with a lump in my throat and unable to believe it’s true, we from CD Tenerife announce the tragic death of Jesús de Miguel Alameda.”

What sports sanctions could Owono face?

From a disciplinary point of view, the Disciplinary Rules of the Spanish Football Federation stipulate sanctions for violent behavior during a match.Article 102 provides for suspensions of between 4 and 12 matches for players who engage in violent behavior towards an opponent during the game and cause serious injury or harm. The provision could be taken into account in considering Owono’s objection, but its application is not automatic.Disciplinary bodies would have to review the nature of the challenge, the goalkeeper’s conduct and the circumstances in which the collision occurred before deciding whether the article applies and what, if any, the appropriate sanction is.The fact that De Miguel subsequently died does not automatically mean that Owono will receive the maximum 12-match ban. The final decision will rest with the relevant disciplinary authority after examining the available evidence.

Could the goalkeeper face criminal charges?

A more serious question is whether the incident could lead to criminal prosecution. Under Spanish law, death during a sporting match does not automatically exclude criminal liability. However, even a fatal outcome does not automatically constitute a crime.Article 142 of the Spanish Penal Code deals with manslaughter by negligence, distinguishing between gross negligence and minor negligence.In the case of gross negligence, the imposed penalty is imprisonment for one to four years. If the neglect is classified as less serious, the law stipulates a fine of between three and 18 months.These are general penalties under the law that do not indicate that Owono will necessarily be charged or convicted.To determine criminal liability, investigators and ultimately the courts would have to examine whether the goalkeeper’s behavior constituted criminally relevant negligence. This would include an assessment of whether he breached the duty of care expected in the circumstances, whether the fatal outcome was reasonably foreseeable and preventable, and whether the requisite causal link between his actions and De Miguel’s death can be established.The distinction between an unfortunate sporting collision and a tort of negligence is crucial. A challenge that results in tragic injury or death is not evidence of a crime on that basis alone.

Two separate trials, one deeply painful tragedy

Any disciplinary action by the football authorities would be independent of any criminal investigation. The federation would judge the incident under its sporting regulations, while criminal liability, if investigated, would be a matter for the relevant legal authorities and courts.Federation regulations also provide for the possibility of referring incidents to the public prosecutor’s office if there are indications of a crime.For now, the focus remains on De Miguel and the people mourning his loss. The striker joined Tenerife in 2025 and scored 11 goals in 30 appearances, helping the club secure promotion from Spain’s third division. He previously played an important role in promotional campaigns with Internacional de Madrid and CD Castellón.FC Andorra offered their condolences to De Miguel’s family, teammates and Tenerife, while the Spanish Footballers’ Association described his death as a loss that left a huge void in the football community.Questions regarding Owono’s future will be resolved through the appropriate sporting and legal processes. However, no sanctions or legal findings should be anticipated before these processes take place. At the center of this tragedy is the death of a footballer following a collision on the pitch and the grief of the family and football community who have had to cope with an unimaginable loss.