World Cup winner Capdevila appeals to Trump after US travel permit denied

What the report says

BBC Sport reports that Joan Capdevila, the former Spain defender and 2010 World Cup winner, has appealed publicly to US President Donald Trump after saying his ESTA travel authorization was rejected ahead of Sunday’s World Cup final in the United States. Capdevila, 48, had hoped to travel with his children to MetLife Stadium to watch Spain face Argentina at 20:00 BST and to meet up with former team-mates from Spain’s 2010 title-winning squad.

According to the BBC, Capdevila posted on X on Friday asking Trump for help, saying he had been told he could not travel because his ESTA had been denied. He also asked US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for assistance and tagged Spain’s sports ministry. The ESTA system is used by eligible visitors seeking to enter the United States without a visa for stays of up to 90 days.

Capdevila told Spanish radio station COPE that he thinks the refusal may be linked to a 2016 match he played in Iran, where a team of La Liga legends faced Iranian all-stars in Tehran. BBC Sport said it had contacted the White House for comment. The outlet also noted a separate World Cup-related entry issue involving Somali referee Omar Artan, who was removed from tournament duty after being refused entry at Miami International Airport in June.

The case comes before a high-profile final between European champions Spain and Copa America winners Argentina. Spain reached only their second World Cup final by beating France 2-0 in Dallas, while defending champions Argentina advanced after a 2-1 comeback win over England.