Football grounds are places where people expect intense emotions, from joy and pride to anger and disappointment. But the game is also seen as a refuge from everyday reality, making death in that setting especially difficult to comprehend, according to a reflection on Jesús de Miguel’s death.
The piece contrasts football’s promise of renewed chances—with another match or season—with the finality of death. It describes the game as a source of hope, shared purpose and protection, while noting how abruptly an accident can shatter that sense of safety.
It urges readers not to search for someone to blame. A collision between players pursuing the ball or trying to avoid contact, it says, can be an unpredictable part of football whose consequences become tragic. The author argues that the grief is profound enough without assigning blame.
The writer also describes a personal connection to Tenerife, formed more than 30 years ago through an attachment to the island and its club. That bond, the piece says, makes the loss feel close and deepens the author’s sympathy for De Miguel’s family and Club Deportivo Tenerife, including president Felipe Miñambres and the club’s supporters.
Sources: El País Deportes.