Spain’s World Cup-winning coach Luis de la Fuente and the president of Real Madrid were among several hundred mourners who paid their respects at Tenerife striker Jesus de Miguel’s funeral on Thursday.
De Miguel, 30, died following a sickening collision with Andorra goalkeeper Jesus Owono during a second division match on Monday.
Around 400 mourners, most dressed in traditional black, gathered outside the church in the village of Navahermosa, around 100 kilometres (62 miles) southwest of Madrid, to greet the funeral cortege.
They included De la Fuente and Real Madrid chief Florentino Perez.
Flags flew at half mast in Navahermosa, the birthplace of De Miguel’s parents and where his grandparents still reside, after the council declared three days of mourning.
“We do not have enough words to thank all those who have sent messages, called or attested how much affection they had for him,” said De Miguel’s agent, reading out a statement on behalf of the family, who stood with him outside the funeral home before setting off for the church.
They added they would like their privacy to be respected and expressed “their need to be allowed to grieve in peace as is normal in such a situation.”
Once the cortege arrived at the church, De Miguel’s Tenerife teammates acted as pall bearers and carried his coffin into the church.
‘Immense pain’
Earlier on Thursday Spain’s footballers’ union asked that all this weekend’s matches be postponed as a mark of respect.
The men and women players “in every category”, who were polled by the AFE union, believe “unanimously” that this weekend’s matches “should not be played”, it said.
Tenerife’s second division match at Granada and Andorra’s clash with Mallorca have already been postponed, as were several midweek cup fixtures.
“The footballers have expressed their deep sorrow for this loss and do not believe that there are the psychological and humane conditions necessary for the competition to be played in normal circumstances,” AFE added.
Tenerife are to pay homage to De Miguel – who last season played a pivotal role in the club being promoted to the second tier – on Saturday afternoon at the club’s stadium.
Spanish police sources have told AFP an investigation into what happened has been opened, under judicial supervision.
Owono, for his part, has been subjected to a torrent of online abuse, a lot of it racist.
The 25-year-old Equatorial Guinea international spoke on Wednesday of his “immense pain over the loss of Jesus”.
“These are the hardest days of my life,” he said in a statement issued by his club.
“I struggle to find the words and it is very difficult for me to process anything that has happened.
“I feel immense pain over the loss of Jesus. I think of him, of his family, and of all the people who loved him.
“I know there will be many issues to address, and I will face whatever comes with the utmost respect. But right now, honestly, I cannot think about anything other than Jesus and the pain we are going through.
“Rest in peace, Jesus.”
De Miguel was the second player to have died in a matter of months after being taken ill on the pitch.
Portuguese midfielder Quevin Castro passed away on August 25 in hospital after collapsing the night before, minutes into the Portuguese third division match between his club Real Sport Clube and Estrela da Amadora.