Capdevila Appeals To Trump Over U.S. Visa Ahead Of World Cup Final

Capdevila, a key member of Spain’s 2010 World Cup-winning squad, had planned to travel to New Jersey with his children to watch Spain face Argentina in the tournament’s showpiece event.

However, his plans of going to the stands while his dear country face-off Argentina in football’s most prestigious final has hit a road block. His application to enter the United States under the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) got rejected.

The 47-year-old took to social media to express his disappointment, calling on President Trump, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Spanish sports authorities to help resolve the issue before the final.

According to reports, the rejection is linked to Capdevila’s visit to Iran in 2016, when he participated in a LaLiga Legends exhibition match. The U.S. travel rules states; individuals who have visited certain countries, including Iran, since 2011 are generally not eligible to travel under the ESTA programme, instead must have to apply for a standard visa.

Capdevila said the situation had left him devastated, as he hoped to support Spain from the stands and reunite with several of his former teammates from the historic 2010 squad.

The former left-back was an integral part of Vicente del Bosque’s team that defeated the Netherlands 1-0 in Johannesburg to lift Spain’s first-ever World Cup trophy. He had looked forward to witnessing another potential moment of history as Spain chase a second world title.

With time running out before the final, it remains unclear whether Capdevila’s appeal will result in an expedited visa approval. Until then, the Spanish legend faces the prospect of missing one of the biggest matches in his country’s history.