Chef José Andrés asks U.S. to let World Cup hero Capdevila enter country

Celebrated chef José Andrés has appealed to U.S. authorities to grant entry to former Spanish international footballer Joan Capdevila so he can attend the World Cup final. Capdevila, a key player in Spain's 2010 World Cup victory, has been denied an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization), preventing him from traveling to the United States for the championship match.

Andrés, president of the NGO World Central Kitchen, took to social media to directly address President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and FIFA. He posted on 'X', formerly Twitter, asking, "@realDonaldTrump, @marcorubio, @POTUS, @FIFAWorldCup. Can you help @capde11, a World Champion, get to the Final, please? Thank you!"

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@realDonaldTrump, @marcorubio, @POTUS, @FIFAWorldCup. Can you help @capde11, a World Champion, get to the Final, please? Thank you!

Capdevila expressed his gratitude for Andrés's initiative, responding via the same platform with a heartfelt message accompanied by a heart emoji: "You don't know how much I appreciate it...". According to the former player, the ESTA denial stems from a match he played in Iran ten years ago. Spain is set to face Argentina in the 2026 World Cup final this Sunday at MetLife Stadium in New York.

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You don't know how much I appreciate it...