Messi mourns Spanish striker's death with 517 million followers

Lionel Messi, whose Instagram account is followed by more than 517 million people, posted a tribute to Jesús de Miguel following the death of the 30-year-old Spanish striker. The Argentine legend described the loss with the words, “No hay palabras… Mis condolencias y mucha fuerza para toda su familia y sus amigos. Que en paz descanse.”

De Miguel died after suffering a cardiorespiratory arrest during a match between Tenerife and FC Andorra. The incident occurred when the forward moved to contest a ball in the middle of the field and was struck by Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono. The collision resulted in a blow to the face, leading to the player's collapse.

Gerard Piqué, the largest shareholder of FC Andorra, also issued a public statement on the social network X. The former Barcelona defender wrote, “Lo siento con toda mi alma. Descansa en paz Jesús.” Piqué was present at the Heliodoro Rodríguez stadium when the dangerous play occurred. He left the venue immediately afterward and traveled to the Hospital de la Candelaria.

The FC Andorra club released a formal statement expressing its grief. The team said it was devastated and sent sincere condolences to De Miguel's family, teammates, friends, and the CD Tenerife club. The club asked for the deceased to rest in peace.

Messi developed the majority of his professional career in Spanish football. He currently owns two clubs in that country while continuing his playing career with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer. The death of De Miguel has drawn widespread attention from the global football community.

Spanish police have opened an investigation into the death. Authorities are treating the incident as a possible homicide. The investigation follows the on-field collision that caused the striker's medical emergency.