Joan Capdevila, a key member of Spain's 2010 World Cup-winning squad, has been denied entry to the United States and has publicly appealed to President Donald Trump for assistance. The former left-back was planning to travel to New York for Sunday's World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, but his visa rejection has thrown those plans into doubt.
Visa Denial and Social Media Plea
Capdevila took to social media to express his frustration and seek help. In a post tagging President Trump, he wrote: "I NEED HELP @realDonaldTrump. 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 teammates from 2010 and this team to cheer them on. I can't believe they won't let me enter the U.S. ... 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 eternally grateful." He also tagged U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a separate post requesting assistance.
Reason for Denial
In an interview with Spanish radio station COPE, Capdevila revealed that his visa was denied due to a match he played in Iran a decade ago. In 2016, he participated in a friendly game in Tehran between a team of La Liga legends and an Iranian all-star team. This appears to have triggered the visa rejection.
The World Cup, primarily hosted in the United States along with Canada and Mexico, has seen numerous visa issues affecting players' families and former stars. Capdevila is the latest to be caught out by the strict entry requirements.
Spain's World Cup Ambitions
Spain, seeking their second World Cup title after their 2010 triumph, face Argentina in the final. Capdevila started that 2010 final against the Netherlands and had hoped to join his former teammates in New York to support the current generation, which includes stars like Rodri and Lamine Yamal. The current team has mirrored the success of the 2010 squad by winning the European Championship two years prior to reaching the World Cup final.
Capdevila's plea highlights the ongoing challenges faced by individuals with past travel to certain countries, and he remains hopeful that a resolution can be found in time for the match.
