Former Spain international and 2010 World Cup winner Joan Capdevila has appealed to US President Donald Trump for help after his visa application was rejected, preventing him from attending Sunday's World Cup final. The 48-year-old retired full-back had planned to watch Spain face Argentina at the MetLife Stadium with his children but was informed his ESTA visa had been denied.

Capdevila believes the rejection stems from a 2016 friendly match he played in Iran as part of a La Liga all-star team, and has also requested assistance from Secretary of State Marco Rubio. His case is not unique; Somali referee Omar Artan was similarly denied entry last month, with US officials citing his "association with suspected members of terror organisations." Spain will contest their second-ever World Cup final, whilst Argentina appears in their second consecutive final following a 2-1 victory over England in the semi-finals.