‘I need help’: Spain’s World Cup winner appeals directly to President Donald Trump after US denied entry

Spain legend Joan Capdevila appeals to Donald Trump after USA’s denial of entry ahead of finals/ Image: X Spain’s preparations for the 2026 World Cup finals have been marred by an unexpected story off the pitch after 2010 World Cup winner Joan Capdevila revealed he had allegedly been denied entry to the United States and appealed directly to US President Donald Trump for help.Spain will face defending champions Argentina in Sunday’s final at New York’s New Jersey Stadium, whose triumph in South Africa 16 years ago saw Luis de la Fuente bid for the country’s second World Cup title. Capdevila had hoped to attend alongside his former teammates to support La Roja, but says his travel plans have been thrown into doubt after his application for the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) was rejected.ESTA allows authorized travelers to visit the United States for up to 90 days without obtaining a visa.Capdevila publicly challenged Trump in a post on X, formerly Twitter.“I NEED HELP @realDonaldTrump!They just told me that I can’t travel with my kids to the finals because my ESTA was refused.Can someone 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 won’t let me into the US… and I’ll miss this moment with my kids who love soccer so much.If anyone knows how to fix this, I will be forever grateful.”Capdevila has not publicly stated why his ESTA application was allegedly rejected, and there has been no official response from US authorities or the White House to his appeal.The former left-back remains one of the key figures in Vicente del Bosque’s 2010 World Cup-winning Spain team.Capdevila played every minute of Spain’s winning campaign in South Africa, helping La Roja build one of the strongest defensive records in World Cup history. Spain conceded just two goals, both during the group stage, before keeping a clean sheet in the knockout rounds en route to defeating the Netherlands 1-0 after extra time in the final.His importance to the side was reflected not only in his defensive work. Equally effective in attack and defence, Capdevila finished among the tournament’s top 10 players in distance covered, covering 71.79 kilometers 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 squad for the 2010 World Cup finals who did not represent Real Madrid or Barcelona at the time, as he established himself as Villarreal’s first-choice left-back. The former Spain international, now 48, retired from professional football in 2017 after ending his career at FC Santa Coloma.Spain are now looking to lift the World Cup for the second time, while Argentina are aiming for a fourth global title and are 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 setback on the road.