Football says goodbye to Tenerife striker Jesus de Miguel
Spanish football gathered on Thursday to say goodbye to Jesus de Miguel, the Tenerife forward who died a day after a collision in a match. He was 30 and the father of one.
The funeral took place in Navahermosa, the village in the central province of Toledo where his parents were from. The village is about 125km (roughly 78 miles) from Madrid. Fans were invited to the burial, and the club's players, staff and officials were there to pay their respects.
De Miguel was hurt on Monday during a match in Spain's second tier, the division just below the top flight. He went into a challenge with FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesus Owono, and the goalkeeper was sent off for the challenge. The game was abandoned. Reuters reported that De Miguel suffered a cardiac arrest, a sudden stop of the heart, and died the next morning. Reuters
The club announced his death on Tuesday. Its statement gave his full name as Jesús de Miguel Alameda. The Guardian
Supporters left flowers and lit candles at the Estadio Heliodoro Rodriguez Lopez in Tenerife, beneath a black and white picture of him. A minute's silence was held before games in European competitions this week, including a Champions League match at Barcelona.
Among those at the funeral were Spain coach Luis de la Fuente, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, and Atletico Madrid chief executive Miguel Angel Gil Marin. Former Real Madrid and Spain coach Jose Antonio Camacho was also there. BBC Sport
De Miguel's family, speaking through their agent Manuel Hernandez, thanked supporters for their messages and their affection. They said the mark he left on so many people is something they will always carry. They also asked for their privacy so they can grieve in peace.
Spain's footballers' union, the AFE, asked on Thursday that all matches this weekend be postponed out of respect for him. Tenerife's away game at Granada and Andorra's match against Mallorca have both been called off. Tenerife have also planned a memorial for him on Saturday. Yahoo Sports
For a striker who spent his career on the pitch, the tributes have come from the stands, the dressing rooms and the boardrooms alike. The game has stopped, for a moment, to remember him.
