Spanish actress and model Elsa Pataky hit an unexpected setback on her way to the Spain-Argentina World Cup final. She had tickets for herself and her children, but her flight from Costa Rica to New York was diverted to Philadelphia for an unplanned landing. The detour left her nearly five hours from the stadium by road, too far to reach the match in time.
Pataky said she and her children spent five hours confined to the aircraft, missing Spain’s bid for a second World Cup title in person. Instead, the family watched the final on a mobile phone from their seats. Only a relative traveling from Australia made it to the match. He was among Spanish supporters in a stadium with some empty seats.
The final was scheduled for July 19 at 3 p.m. EDT at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. ESPN reported that Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in extra time to claim its second World Cup title. The Post-Journal reported attendance of 80,663. Though frustrated to miss the match in person, Pataky said she tried to make the best of the situation for her children.
After arriving in New York, she joined other Spanish fans in Times Square, where celebrations followed Spain’s victory. Pataky spoke of her pride in the national team and the joy Spanish supporters shared across the city. Spain’s win reached well beyond the stadium, bringing together expatriates and travelers who had followed the match across the United States.
The diversion turned a planned day at a major international sporting event into a day spent watching from the aircraft and celebrating later on the ground. It echoed other challenges for Spanish supporters abroad, including the broadcast interruption during the royal family’s appearance at the final. For more on how Spanish dignitaries and supporters in the US experienced the World Cup final, see the report on the royal family’s attendance and the unexpected TVE broadcast cut.
