Equatorial Guinea goalkeeper, Jesus Owono, has been left devastated following the death of Spanish footballer Jesus de Miguel, whom he collided with during a Spanish second-division match, with reports describing the Andorra shot-stopper as emotionally shattered and withdrawn from the outside world.
According to The Athletic FC, Owono has been struggling to cope with the tragic consequences of the incident, with the 25-year-old reportedly isolating himself at home and disconnecting from the world.
“These are the most difficult days of my life,” Owono said in a statement released by FC Andorra, acknowledging the emotional toll of the incident.
“I struggle to find the words, and I find it very hard to process what has happened. I feel enormous pain at the loss of Jesus. I think of him, his family, and all the people who loved him.”
The incident occurred on Monday during a Segunda Division encounter between FC Andorra and CD Tenerife.
Owono rushed out of his goal to challenge for a long ball in stoppage time but collided with De Miguel, striking the Tenerife forward with his knee.
The goalkeeper was shown a straight red card, while the match was abandoned following the incident.
De Miguel, 30, suffered a cardiac arrest following the collision and was rushed to hospital.
Despite medical intervention, the Tenerife striker died on Tuesday morning, prompting widespread grief across Spanish football.
Owono has also faced online abuse following the tragedy, leading him to deactivate his Instagram account.
His teammate, Lautaro Spatz, has publicly defended him, insisting that the goalkeeper never intended to hurt the deceased player.
Spanish police have opened judicial proceedings into the circumstances surrounding De Miguel’s death, although authorities have indicated that such investigations are routine in cases involving non-natural deaths.
