Former Spain international Joan Capdevila has made a plea to US President Donald Trump for help after he says he was denied a travel permit to enter the United States before Sunday’s World Cup final.
Capdevila, 48, was part of the Spain team that defeated the Netherlands to win the 2010 World Cup final.
The retired full-back was hoping to reunite with his former team-mates and watch Spain’s second World Cup final appearance when they take on Argentina at the MetLife Stadium on Sunday (20:00 BST).
Visitors who want to travel to the United States for up to 90 days without a visa need to apply to the country’s Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), which Capdevila says has been denied.
“I NEED HELP @realDonaldTrump!” Capdevila posted on X on Friday.
“They just told me that I can’t travel to the final with my kids because my ESTA has been denied.”
The former Villarreal and Deportivo defender added: “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.”
Capdevila also called on Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, to help resolve his situation and tagged the Spanish government’s ministry of sport in his post.
More from the 2026 World Cup on BBC Sport
In an interview with Spanish radio station COPE, Capdevila said he believes he was denied entry to the United States because of a match he played in Iran in 2016.
The 2008 European Championship winner was part of a side of La Liga legends that faced a team of all-stars from Iran in Tehran.
BBC Sport has contacted the White House for comment.
Capdevila is not the first high-profile person to be denied entry to the United States for the World Cup, with Somali referee Omar Artan dropped from officiating at the tournament after he was denied entry to the country last month.
US officials said the 2025 Confederation of African Football (Caf) men’s referee of the year was refused entry to the country after arriving at Miami International Airport on 8 June because of his “association with suspected members of terror organisations”.
Sunday’s final at the MetLife Stadium will be the first World Cup final to be contested by the European champions, Spain, and the Copa America winners, Argentina
La Roja sealed their place in only a second-ever World Cup final by beating France 2-0 in Dallas on Tuesday.
Three-time winners and reigning champions Argentina booked their place in a second consecutive final after staging a late comeback to beat England 2-1 on Wednesday.
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