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Alex Baena of Spanish professional soccer club Atletico Madrid paid tribute to a player who died following a collision during a match in a unique way. His teammate and member of the South Korean national soccer team, Lee Kang-in, also joined in the mourning.
Atletico lost 0-2 at home against Bayern Munich (Germany) in the fourth match of the league phase of the 2026-2027 UEFA Champions League (UCL), held at Riyadh Air Metropolitano in Madrid, Spain, at 5 a.m. (KST) on the 4th.
A special scene was captured before the match that day. Baena appeared on the field wearing an Atletico jersey with the name "De Miguel" and the number 9 printed on it, instead of his own name. Number 9 was also Miguel's squad number. Baena wears number 10 for Atletico.
This was a gesture to mourn Jesus De Miguel, a forward for CD Tenerife in Spain's second division, who sadly passed away on the 3rd.
Spanish sports outlet Mundo Deportivo reported, "Baena entered the Metropolitano remembering De Miguel," adding, "Atletico midfielder Baena entered the field wearing a jersey with De Miguel's name and number 9 printed on it. It was a warm gesture to mourn a player who passed away at just 30 years old."
Soccer-focused social media outlet 433 also introduced this scene. 433 explained, "Baena arrived at the stadium wearing a special jersey in memory of De Miguel. Respectable."
The Spanish soccer community was shocked by the tragic news of De Miguel's death. On the 2nd, during a Spain second division match against FC Andorra held at Tenerife's Heliodoro Rodriguez Lopez Stadium, De Miguel collided heavily with opposing goalkeeper Jesus Owono.
The incident occurred in stoppage time of the second half while the two teams were tied 2-2. Owono, who rushed out of his goal to clear the ball, collided with De Miguel, and in the process, De Miguel suffered a strong impact to his chest and head. Owono was shown a red card.
De Miguel received emergency treatment from medical staff on the field before being transported to the hospital by ambulance. He fell into cardiac arrest but regained his heartbeat through cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), yet he ultimately did not recover. He passed away in the morning of the 3rd, the day after the accident.
De Miguel, born in Madrid in 1996, transferred from Castellon to Tenerife ahead of the 2025-2026 season. Last season, he scored 11 goals in 29 matches in Spain's third division, contributing to his team's promotion to the second division, but tragically lost his life due to an unforeseen accident.
The Tenerife club expressed its condolences through an official statement, saying, "We are immersed in heart-wrenching sorrow. No words can offer comfort," and added, "We share our grief with the bereaved family, loved ones, and Tenerife fans."
Lee Kang-in also joined in the mourning. Lee Kang-in shared the official death announcement from the Tenerife club on his social media, conveying his condolences with the message, "We sincerely pray for the repose of the deceased's soul."
The Atletico club also conveyed its condolences to the late player's family and friends, as well as officials of the Tenerife club, through its official social media. Koke, Fernando Torres, and Enrique Cerezo, president of Atletico, also publicly expressed their sorrow.
A tribute ceremony was also held before the match between Atletico and Munich that day. Players and fans gathered at the stadium observed a minute of silence for De Miguel and other victims.
In a gesture of mourning, UEFA omitted the official theme song performance for UCL matches held in Spain that day.
Meanwhile, Lee Kang-in made a substitute appearance that day, playing on the field for 31 minutes. He recorded 22 ball touches and a 93% pass success rate. European soccer statistics outlet FotMob gave Lee Kang-in a rating of 5.9. Kim Min-jae, a key defender for the South Korean national team who plays for Munich, also came on as a substitute and played for 11 minutes.
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*This content was translated by AI.View Original
