Spanish Footballer Appeals to Trump in Travel Dilemma

Joan Capdevila, a former Spain defender, has sought help from Donald Trump after being denied entry into the U.S. for the World Cup final. His travel was blocked due to participation in a 2016 match in Iran. Capdevila expressed his disappointment on social media while seeking support.

Former Spain defender, Joan Capdevila, has directly appealed to President Donald Trump for assistance after facing a travel ban to the United States. Capdevila, who was part of Spain's 2010 World Cup-winning squad, had his travel application denied due to his participation in a 2016 exhibition match in Iran featuring LaLiga stars.

The 48-year-old announced the denial of his Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) via social media, expressing his distress over being unable to attend the World Cup final with his children. He highlighted the importance of the event, which featured Spain against defending champions Argentina.

In a bid for intervention, Capdevila also tagged the U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, and Spain's sports ministry. Reuters reached out to the U.S. State Department for a comment on the situation.