Former Joan Capdevila, a FIFA World Cup winner with Spain in 2010, has made a desperate public plea to US President Donald Trump after being denied a visa to attend Sunday's final between Spain and Argentina at MetLife Stadium.
Capdevila, 48, was due to reunite with his 2010 teammates to watch La Roja's second World Cup final appearance, but his ESTA application was turned down, leaving him unable to travel with his children.
"I NEED HELP @realDonaldTrump!" Capdevila posted on X. "They just told me that I can't travel to the final with my kids because my ESTA has been denied. Can anyone help me with this? You have no idea how excited I was to be there with all my 2010 team-mates and this team to cheer them on. I can't believe they're not letting me into the USA... and that I'll miss a moment like this with my kids who love soccer so much. If anyone knows how to fix this, I'll be grateful to you for life."
Why was the visa denied?
In an interview with Spanish radio station COPE, Capdevila suggested the denial may be linked to a 2016 match in Iran. The former Villarreal and Deportivo La Coruña defender was part of a La Liga legends side that faced an Iranian all-star team in Tehran. US authorities have not publicly confirmed the reason, and the White House has yet to respond to BBC Sport's request for comment.
Capdevila also appealed to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and tagged Spain's ministry of sport in his social media posts. He is not the first World Cup-related figure to encounter entry issues: Somali referee Omar Artan was blocked from officiating after being denied entry in Miami last month over alleged associations with terror organisations.
A final reunion in doubt
Spain meet reigning champions Argentina in a historic clash between the European and Copa América holders – the first such final in World Cup history. Capdevila, a key part of the backline that secured Spain's maiden title in South Africa, had planned to be in New Jersey to celebrate with former teammates and support the current generation.
The 2026 World Cup final kicks off at 20:00 BST on Sunday. Capdevila's chances of making it now depend on a late intervention.
