Spain coach among mourners bidding farewell to De Miguel

Spain's World Cup-winning coach Luis de la Fuente and Real Madrid president Florentino Perez were among several hundred mourners who attended the funeral of Tenerife striker Jesus De Miguel in Navahermosa, a village southwest of Madrid. De Miguel, 30, perished in a collision with Andorra goalkeeper Jesus Owono during a second division match on Monday. The village declared three days of mourning in De Miguel's honor, and flags flew at half mast.

De Miguel's teammates from Tenerife carried his coffin into the church, where mourners, dressed in traditional black, paid their respects. His agent expressed gratitude for the messages of support and requested privacy during this difficult time. Spain's footballers' union called for the postponement of all weekend matches as a mark of respect, with players across all categories unanimously agreeing that the psychological and humane conditions were not suitable for the competition.

Tenerife will honor De Miguel's legacy on Saturday at their stadium. An investigation into the incident has been opened under judicial supervision. Owono, the 25-year-old Equatorial Guinea international goalkeeper, expressed immense pain and difficulty in processing the loss of De Miguel, vowing to respect the situation. The tragic incident marked the second player death in a short span after being taken ill on the pitch, following Portuguese midfielder Quevin Castro's passing in August.