Jesus Owono has become a global figure overnight after the goalkeeper’s challenge led to the death of Tenerife forward Jesus de Miguel.
The ۳۰-year-old died in hospital in Santa Cruz on Tuesday morning after suffering a cardiac arrest in the wake of a high challenge by Andorra goalkeeper Owono in stoppage time of Monday’s La Liga ۲ game.
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Owono received a straight red card for his challenge and has since received criticism from around the world for his part in the tragedy while local police are reported to have begun an investigation into the incident,
Who is Jesus Owono?
The ۲۵-year-old goalkeeper was born in Bata, Equatorial Guinea, but moved to Spain’s Basque Country as a child.
His first club was Antiguoko, a youth club in San Sebastian, at the age of eight, but after moving on to Real Sociedad, he played for the Basque Country’s representative side at under-۱۶ level.
He joined Alaves in ۲۰۱۷ and worked his way through the youth ranks before making his first-team debut in a ۱-۱ draw against Real Sociedad in January ۲۰۲۲, becoming the first international born in his country to appear in La Liga.
He went on to make ۲۰ appearances in the league and Copa del Rey but spent last season on loan with La Liga ۲ side Andorra, keeping six clean sheets in ۲۰ league games before earning a permanent move in August and signing a two-year deal.
Owono made his Equatorial Guinea debut shortly after turning ۱۸ in March ۲۰۱۹ and has gone on to represent his country ۴۶ times, playing every minute of their three group games in the ۲۰۲۵ AFCON edition and both their AFCON ۲۰۲۷ qualifiers against DR Congo and Sierra Leone in September.
How did Owono react to the collision?
After colliding with De Miguel in the centre circle, Owono did not turn back to look at his opponent on the ground but immediately began walking towards the touchline, anticipating the red card which Manuel Angel Perez Hernandez swiftly brandished.
However, as he walked off, after exchanging a handshake with teammate Nacho Quintana, he turned back as medical staff were beckoned frantically onto the pitch and jogged to join players surrounding De Miguel as he lay prostrate on the turf.
He remained on the field until he was led away by club officials and down the tunnel at the same time that De Miguel was being rushed off the field at the opposite end of the stadium on a stretcher to a waiting ambulance, with videos posted online showing Tenerife fans in the stands chanting ‘assassin’ at Owono for his part in the incident.
Why has Owono received online abuse?
The reaction to Owono’s challenge on De Miguel is that it was widely considered reckless and using excessive force.
The keeper was standing well outside his area as ۱۰-man Andorra piled on late pressure, seeking to complete an unlikely comeback from ۲-۰ down with just seven minutes of normal time remaining.
When the ball was cleared by Tenerife from the edge of their own box in the air towards the halfway line, De Miguel looked favourite to have a clear run on goal, leading Owono to sprint forward and jump to challenge him in the air before the ball bounced, with his knee appearing to strike De Miguel in the chest and head.
Some social media users have called for a life ban from football and criminal charges to be filed against Owono, while others have flooded his own profile with racist abuse, insults and comments of “murderer”.
Could Spanish football authorities punish Owono?
Yes, and they almost certainly will.
The Spanish Football Federation’s Disciplinary Code suggests a suspension of four to ۱۲ matches for players found to have committed violent conduct during play, resulting in serious injury.
An investigation into the events surrounding De Miguel’s death will assess the challenge and the context in which it was made before determining the punishment.
Can a footballer be charged with negligent manslaughter?
While a severe sporting punishment seems inevitable, many football fans are suggesting that criminal charges should also follow.
Reports in the local media in Tenerife on Tuesday afternoon say The Homicide Group of the National Police in Santa Cruz is already investigating the circumstances of De Miguel’s death.
The death of a player due to an act on the field in the midst of a match is, thankfully, incredibly rare, and there are no precedents established in a tragic case like this.
The question of charges is likely to be determined by whether Owono’s challenge meets the threshold of criminal negligence.
Article ۱۴۲ of the Spanish Penal Code distinguishes between manslaughter due to gross negligence and manslaughter due to less serious negligence.
Gross negligence, if proven, can carry a prison sentence of up to four years, while the lesser charge carries a fine calculated over three to ۱۸ months.
