Former Spain international Joan Capdevila has appealed to U.S. President Donald Trump for help after saying his travel authorization to enter the United States was denied ahead of Sunday’s World Cup final.
Capdevila, 48, was a member of the Spain side that beat the Netherlands to win the 2010 World Cup. The retired full-back had hoped to reunite with former teammates and watch Spain’s second World Cup final, against Argentina at MetLife Stadium on Sunday (20:00 BST).
He said his application to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), which allows eligible visitors to travel to the U.S. for up to 90 days without a visa, was rejected.
Posting on X on Friday, Capdevila asked for Trump’s help, saying he had been told he couldn’t travel to the final with his children because his ESTA was denied. He appealed for assistance, expressing how eager he was to be there with his 2010 teammates to support the current squad, and said he couldn’t believe he might miss the occasion with his soccer-loving kids. He added that he would be grateful to anyone who could resolve the issue.
Capdevila also reached out to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and tagged Spain’s ministry of sport in his post.