Jesús Owono has no date set for a return to football. His FC Andorra coach, Carles Manso, said on 12 November that the goalkeeper remained “deeply affected” by the death of Jesús de Miguel, and asked for his privacy and personal recovery process to be respected. Supported by his family, friends and partner, Owono remains away from competitive football as the club prepares to resume its league campaign. Manso rejected reports that the goalkeeper had decided to retire, leaving any decision about returning to the player himself.
On 2 November, Owono struck the Tenerife forward while coming out of his goal at the Heliodoro Rodríguez López stadium. De Miguel suffered a cardiac arrest, received treatment on the pitch and was taken to hospital, where he died the following day. Owono was sent off. On 4 November, Andorra published an open letter from the goalkeeper: “These have been the most difficult days of my life.” He expressed his grief at the forward’s death and his concern for the family and those who loved him. “I will face whatever comes with the utmost respect,” he added.
Family before football
Long before these events, Owono had explained that football was not the reason he came to Spain. “I came chasing the dream not of playing football, but of being with my mother,” he told Isabel Forner in a LALIGA VS interview published in 2024. Born in Bata, in Equatorial Guinea, he spent part of his childhood with relatives in Malabo while his mother worked in San Sebastián. After joining her, he learnt Basque and began a footballing journey that would eventually take him to Deportivo Alavés and his national team.
In that conversation, he also spoke about studying business administration and management, and working with specialists to deal with difficulties and racist abuse. His way of expressing himself had already caught the attention of Luis García Plaza, who ended a press conference in March 2023 by recommending an interview the goalkeeper had given to Alavés’ club channel: “If you haven’t seen the interview Jesús Owono gave to the club channel, watch it.” Those words came years before the tragedy, when Owono was combining his education with the pursuit of first-team opportunities.
Support and the wish to contact the family
Andorra has now placed personal support ahead of sporting deadlines. Manso explained that the club remained in contact with Owono and that those closest to him were by his side. Psychological support is also available to the team. The coach acknowledged the difficulty of managing a situation for which nobody was prepared, as the squad gradually returns to training and competition. Its next match, against Almería, will be its first since De Miguel’s death, following the postponement of the fixture against Mallorca.
Reports published in recent days describe Owono’s wish to contact the forward’s family. According to a report by ‘Marca’, subsequently covered by other Spanish outlets, he asked Andorra to help arrange that contact, whether through a letter, a telephone call or a personal visit. The same report states that the club passed the request to Tenerife, which asked for more time to respect the family’s grief. That is an understandable need for people who have just lost a loved one in such circumstances.
A decision still to be made
The severity of the challenge was recorded in the referee’s report, which described contact with a raised leg and the “use of excessive force while the ball was being contested”. Manso maintained that Owono had not intended to cause that outcome, describing it as a tragedy he would have to live with. The sending-off, the consequences of the challenge and De Miguel’s death form the circumstances surrounding his situation; the coach’s comments explain the club’s position regarding its player’s condition.
For now, Manso is avoiding setting a date or anticipating a decision. He has asked for Owono to be given space to consider his future when he feels ready, without speculation replacing the goalkeeper’s own words. His latest public statement remains the letter published by Andorra on 4 November. The team will return to action while he continues to receive support from those closest to him. Asked about his return, the coach replied: “When he feels the time is right, he will say whether he is coming back or not.”
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