Jesus Owono will not be suiting up for Equatorial Guinea's upcoming Afcon 2027 qualifier matches. The goalkeeper requested to be left out of the national squad, and the team has respected that wish.
The reason is a deeply personal one. Owono asked to step away following the death of Tenerife forward Jesus de Miguel, a loss that has clearly hit close to home for the player.
No timeline has been given for his return, but for now, the focus is on grief, not football. The question of who steps in between the posts for the Nzalang Nacional remains one to watch.
Originally published by BBC Africa.