Spanish football legend and World Cup winner Joan Capdevila has begged US President Donald Trump for help after the former Deportivo La Coruna and Villarreal star was denied entry to the country for the final
A Spanish football icon and World Cup winner has claimed he has been denied entry to the USA as he asked US President Donald Trump to help him.
Ex-Deportivo La Coruna and Villarreal star Joan Capdevila had planned to cheer on the Spanish national team when they take on Argentina tomorrow night (July 19) but was left shocked to learn he would not be allowed to travel.
Capdevila, who was one of Spain's World Cup heroes when they lifted the cup in 2010, claimed he was told the ban was because the former footballer played a match in Iran 10 years ago.
He wrote on X: "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."
Since news of his entry to the country being denied, Capdevila has spoke out about the incident to multiple Spanish media outlets and says it is all due to the game he played in Iran years ago. The game was a La Liga legends match in 2016 but was played in Iran as the league looked to gain new fans around the world.
Spanish legends Fernando Morientes, Marcos Senna and Luis Garcia also played in the game held in Tehran.
He told Spanish sports radio show El Partidazo de COPE: "I was there 10 years ago, in 2016, playing a LaLiga match, a regular match in Iran, and apparently if you've been to Iran, you can't enter the United States."
He added that US authorities had been made aware of the trip on his application and despite the Spanish FA trying to work with FIFA on the issue, it was unsuccessful.
Capdevila added: "I'm a normal citizen of the world, I pay my taxes, I pay for everything, and it turns out I can't go with my family to see a sporting event I'm really looking forward to. I don't understand it.
"I was really looking forward to experiencing it with my children, that's all."
Trump said before the World Cup that the US was working to ensure “the right people” could come in after a number of visa issues affected the week leading up to the start of the World Cup.
Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry to the US when he arrived in Miami for training ahead of the finals, while the Iranian federation said a number of its officials had also been refused visas.
It is currently unknown whether or not the Trump administration is looking into Capdevila's request after he went public with being denied entry.
Spain play Argentina in the World Cup final at the New York New Jersey Stadium tomorrow night in what could be the final time Lionel Messi is seen in the major tournament.