Jesús de Miguel, known to teammates as “Demi,” died Tuesday, a day after he was critically injured in a collision during a match. He was 30.
Born in Madrid in 1996, De Miguel began his professional career with Leganés’ reserve side in 2015. He went on to play for several clubs in Spain’s lower divisions, working his way through the game one team at a time.
His most successful season came after he joined Castellón in 2023. De Miguel scored 16 goals as the club secured promotion to Spain’s second division. After finding goals harder to come by there, he moved to Tenerife in the Canary Islands in the summer of 2025.
Back in the third tier, he made an immediate impact, scoring six times in his first five matches. He finished the season with 11 goals and helped Tenerife earn promotion.
A left-footed striker standing 6-foot-2, De Miguel was known for competing in the air. Late in Monday’s 2-2 draw with FC Andorra, he was chasing a long pass at Tenerife’s home stadium when the opposing goalkeeper charged out of his area and collided with him.
De Miguel fell to the ground and suffered cardiac arrest. He died in hospital the following morning.
He is survived by his young daughter, born last year, and her mother. Former teammate Fernando Román said on social media that he was devastated by the loss, remembering De Miguel as humble, hard-working and, above all, a good person.
Tenerife said De Miguel’s family had requested that his body be taken to Navahermosa, in Toledo province. Teammates and club officials are expected to attend a final farewell.
“We need to give Demi the tribute he deserves,” Tenerife president Felipe Miñambres said. “And from that point on we will always carry him in our hearts.”
Spanish police are investigating the circumstances of De Miguel’s death, including whether the collision could amount to involuntary manslaughter. The case is under judicial supervision. Spanish law requires investigations into deaths caused by accidents and other non-natural circumstances.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife chief prosecutor José Luis Sánchez-Jáuregui told the EFE news agency that criminal proceedings appeared unlikely because the collision happened during a match. Authorities will first review the referee’s report and the findings of the sports disciplinary committee.
