Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi mourn tragic death of Jesus de Miguel
Global football community unites in grief for Jesus de Miguel
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have joined the football world in paying emotional tributes to Spanish footballer Jesus de Miguel, who tragically died at the age of 30 following a collision during a match.
The Tenerife striker passed away on Tuesday, November 3, after suffering a cardiac arrest following a collision with FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono during Monday's Spanish second division encounter.
The heartbreaking news prompted an outpouring of condolences from footballers, clubs and fans across the world.
What did Ronaldo and Messi say?
Ronaldo, who currently plays for Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr, shared a black and white photograph of De Miguel celebrating a goal on his Instagram Story.
The Portuguese superstar wrote in Spanish, which translates to:
"A tragedy. No words... Sending strength to the family. Rest in peace."
Messi also took to Instagram to express his sadness, sharing a photograph of the Tenerife forward.
The Inter Miami captain wrote:
"There are no words... My condolences and much strength to all his family and friends. May he rest in peace."
The touching messages from two of football's biggest superstars reflected the sadness felt across the football community.
What happened to Jesús de Miguel?
The tragic incident occurred during stoppage time of Tenerife's match against FC Andorra at the Estadio Heliodoro Rodríguez López on Monday.
De Miguel was chasing a loose ball when Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono rushed out of his area to make a clearance.
The two players collided, with Owono's knee appearing to strike the striker in the chest.
De Miguel collapsed on the pitch and received emergency medical treatment before being taken to hospital.
He suffered a cardiac arrest and was initially reported to be in a serious but stable condition. However, his neurological condition subsequently deteriorated.
Tenerife confirmed his death on Tuesday morning.
The match, which was level at 2-2, was abandoned following the incident.
Football world pays tribute
In an emotional statement, Tenerife expressed its devastation at losing the striker.
The club said it was struggling to come to terms with the tragedy and offered its support to De Miguel's family, friends and everyone associated with Tenerife.
Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United and several other major European clubs also paid tribute.
Former Barcelona defender Gerard Pique, who owns FC Andorra, expressed his condolences, while Kylian Mbappe was among the players who shared messages of support.
UEFA also announced that a minute's silence would be observed at European club competition matches this week in memory of De Miguel.
The 30 year old, who joined Tenerife from Castellon in 2025, helped the club secure promotion to Spain's second division last season.
His sudden death has left Spanish football in mourning, with supporters remembering a player whose life and career ended far too soon.
