Goalkeeper considers early retirement after Jesús de Miguel's death

Goalkeeper considers early retirement after Jesús de Miguel's death Goalkeeper Jesús Owono, 25, is reportedly considering retiring from professional football following the tragic collision involving Jesús de Miguel. The incident occurred in the final minutes of the match between Tenerife and FC Andorra in Spain’s second division and resulted in the Tenerife striker suffering cardiac arrest and subsequently dying. The psychological toll on the Andorra goalkeeper was revealed this Friday by Ana Maye. A former general coordinator of the Equatorial Guinea Football Federation and a close confidante of the player for 14 years, Maye described the situation in a lengthy interview with Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo . "No matter how much people try to comfort him, it has been incredibly difficult. He is deeply shaken, especially when he thinks about Jesús de Miguel’s widow and the one-and-a-half-year-old son he left behind. Owono doesn’t know how to cope with all of this," explained Maye, who has remained in constant contact with the player since the tragedy that shook international football. The weight of the situation has affected the goalkeeper’s entire family. According to Maye, the hostility has spread beyond social media. "People are calling Jesús’s brother a murderer, and even some parents at his team are insulting him. His sister, who studies at the University of Valencia, is also suffering terribly. They don’t deserve this. He is a man of deep faith; he reads the Bible... Nobody steps onto the pitch intending to kill a fellow player, and I hope people understand that he cannot carry that guilt." A grieving family and media pressure Owono’s mother, who lives in the Netherlands, traveled to Andorra to support her son in person. Ana Maye also criticized the way some Spanish media outlets have covered the incident, saying the exposure is worsening the family’s suffering. "They are grieving too, in a different way. Jesús de Miguel’s family has lost a loved one, and the weight of that is unimaginable. But Owono’s family’s lives have also changed forever, and they don’t deserve to have their lives destroyed by this pressure," said the player’s friend, calling for more privacy for the family, which includes younger siblings. "His mother always taught him that humanity is what makes the world go round. He needs time, psychological support and peace to process everything that has happened." Jesús Owono’s statement Last Thursday, the goalkeeper himself broke his silence in an official statement released by FC Andorra. In it, Owono expressed the impact the tragedy has had on his life. "These have been the hardest days of my life. It is very difficult to find the words or come to terms with what happened. I feel profound sorrow over the loss of Jesús. My thoughts are with him, his family and everyone who loved him," the goalkeeper wrote, indicating that he would cooperate with the proceedings surrounding the case. "I know there will be proceedings to face, and I will do so with the utmost respect. But right now, honestly, I cannot think of anything beyond the pain we are all experiencing. Rest in peace, Jesús." This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.