"I am not Jesús!".. Mistaken identity exposes a player to racist abuse and threats following Tenerife striker's death

Equatorial Guinean footballer Michel Owono has revealed that he received racist insults, hateful messages and threats after being mistaken for FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono following the tragic death of CD Tenerife striker Jesús de Miguel.

The CF Can Vidalet defender was forced to publicly clarify his identity on Tuesday 3 November after social media users targeted him because he shares a surname and Equatorial Guinean origins with the Andorra goalkeeper.

In a statement published on X, Michel expressed his condolences to De Miguel's family before firmly denying any involvement in the incident.

"I AM NOT JESÚS OWONO," he stressed, explaining that the mistaken identity had exposed him to racist abuse, insults and threats.

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What happened in the Tenerife vs Andorra match?

The confusion followed Monday's Spanish second division encounter between Tenerife and FC Andorra on 2 November.

As Foot Africa previously reported, Tenerife forward Jesús de Miguel suffered a serious injury following a collision with Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono during the closing stages of the match.

The 30 year old striker suffered a cardiorespiratory arrest and was taken to hospital. Tenerife confirmed his death the following morning while the match had been abandoned with the score level at 2-2.

Jesús Owono, an Equatorial Guinea international, was sent off following the challenge and subsequently faced widespread criticism. Foot Africa also reported that the goalkeeper was deeply distressed by the tragedy.

Michel Owono condemns racist abuse

Despite having no connection to the incident, Michel Owono found himself receiving hostile messages intended for the goalkeeper.

The Can Vidalet defender shared screenshots of the abuse and condemned the racism and discrimination directed at him.

He insisted that nobody should be insulted or threatened because of their skin colour or background, calling for greater respect and empathy.

"Football should unite, not divide" he said, rejecting hatred and harassment both inside and outside the sport.

His club, CF Can Vidalet, also issued a public statement supporting the defender (https://x.com/cfcanvidalet/status/2117592516685959412), condemning the racist attacks, threats and defamation arising from the mistaken identity.

"Respect is not negotiable" the club declared.

Khaled Hegazy |

Editorar, en

Journaliste sportif spécialisé dans la couverture du football et la création de contenu numérique, alliant expérience éditoriale et expertise des médias sociaux.

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Equatorial Guinea