Zidane 'deeply affected' by death of Spanish player following on-field collision
Flower wreaths are photographed in the hearse carrying the remains of CD Tenerife player Jesús de Miguel, who died Tuesday following a collision with Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono during a soccer match, at his funeral in Navahermosa, central Spain, Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026. Credit: AP/Andrea Comas
PARIS — France coach Zinedine Zidane paid tribute to a Spanish second-division player who died after an on-field collision and wished it will never happen again.
“I'm saddened by what happened, deeply affected,” Zidane said on Friday at his latest squad announcement for Nations League games. “It even gives me goosebumps, because you never want to see something like that on a football pitch.”
Tenerife forward Jesús de Miguel died this week after suffering cardiac arrest following a collision with an opposing goalkeeper.
“Above all, I feel sad for the family,” Zidane added. "I hope I never see anything like that again on a football pitch for the rest of my life.”
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