Family thanks supporters as Tenerife forward Jesus de Miguel is buried in Toledo
Jesus de Miguel, 30, died after a serious injury in a second-division match, and his funeral was held in Navahermosa, Toledo, with teammates and football officials in attendance.
Jesus de Miguel, a 30-year-old forward for Tenerife, died following a serious injury sustained during a Spanish second-division match on Monday. After colliding with FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesus Owono, he was treated on the pitch, taken to hospital and pronounced dead at 07:00 GMT on Tuesday. The incident led to Owono’s dismissal and the abandonment of the game.
The funeral took place on Thursday in Navahermosa, Toledo, the hometown of de Miguel’s parents, about 125 km from Madrid. His Tenerife teammates carried his coffin into the San Miguel Arcangel church. Among the mourners were Spain coach Luis de la Fuente, Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez, Atlético Madrid chief executive Miguel Ángel Gil Marín and former Spain and Real Madrid coach José Antonio Camacho.
"Thank you for loving him, for remembering him and for being with us. We cannot find enough words to thank you for every message, every phone call and every gesture of affection we are receiving," said Manuel Hernández, de Miguel’s agent, on behalf of the family.
"Feeling such affection for Jesus and seeing the mark he has left on so many people is something we will always carry with us," the statement added.
FC Andorra’s goalkeeper Owono released a statement describing the incident as "the most difficult days of my life" and expressing "enormous pain over the loss of Jesus."
The family requested privacy for themselves and supporters, while fans laid flowers and candles at the Estadio Heliodoro Rodríguez López on Tenerife, where the match had been played. A minute’s silence was observed at European competition matches this week in his memory.