Spain’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup final have been accompanied by an unexpected off-field story after 2010 World Cup winner Joan Capdevila revealed that he has reportedly been denied permission to enter the United States and appealed directly to US President Donald Trump for assistance.Spain face defending champions Argentina in Sunday’s final at the New York New Jersey Stadium, with Luis de la Fuente’s side bidding to win the country’s second World Cup title after their triumph in South Africa 16 years ago. Capdevila had hoped to be in attendance alongside his former teammates to support La Roja, but says his travel plans have been thrown into doubt after his Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) application was rejected.The ESTA allows eligible travellers to visit the United States for up to 90 days without obtaining a visa.Writing on X, formerly Twitter, Capdevila made a public appeal to Trump.“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 2010 teammates 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 has not publicly stated why his ESTA application was reportedly denied, and there has been no official response from US authorities or the White House regarding his appeal.The former left-back remains one of the key figures from Spain’s historic 2010 World Cup-winning side under Vicente del Bosque.Capdevila played every minute of Spain’s victorious campaign in South Africa, helping La Roja build one of the strongest defensive records in World Cup history. Spain conceded only two goals, both during the group stage, before keeping clean sheets throughout the knockout rounds on their way to defeating the Netherlands 1-0 after extra time in the final.His importance to the side was reflected in more than just his defensive work. Equally effective in attack and defence, Capdevila finished among the tournament’s top 10 players for distance covered, running 71.79 kilometres across Spain’s seven matches.He also occupied a unique place in Vicente del Bosque’s starting XI. Capdevila was the only player in Spain’s lineup for the 2010 World Cup final who was not representing either Real Madrid or Barcelona at the time, having established himself as Villarreal’s first-choice left-back. The former Spain international, now 48, retired from professional football in 2017 after concluding his career with FC Santa Coloma.Spain are now aiming to lift the World Cup for the second time, while Argentina are chasing a fourth global title and attempting to become the first nation since Brazil in 1962 to successfully defend the trophy. Whether Capdevila will be able to witness the occasion in person remains uncertain after his reported travel setback.
