The court also fined Messi 2 million euros and his father 1.5 million euros.
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Under Spanish legal system, a prison sentence of under two years in duration can be suspended, with the terms of a sentence carried out under probation if the offender has no prior criminal record.
The Spanish court also mentioned that the decision can be appealed through the Spanish Supreme Court.
“We see this as an attack on his person”.
Both men have always denied any wrongdoing and Messi’s representatives confirmed on Wednesday that the five-time Ballon d’Or victor will fight his conviction at the Supreme Court. Once lodged, the appeal will be heard in a higher court in Madrid. The prosecutors claimed that Messi and his father used tax havens in Belize, Uruguay and shell companies in the United Kingdom and Switzerland to avoid paying taxes. Both said the player was unaware of the tax issues that led to the fraud charges. The Spanish authorities say that he, and his father Jorge, didn’t pay that amount in taxes on imaging rights earnings. Barcelona football club said in a statement following the ruling that it not consider the player to be in any way criminally responsible.
Messi has since declared his intention to retire from global football.
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With Barcelona, in contrast, Messi has won four Champions League titles, three Club World Cup trophies and eight Spanish league titles. Messi, who has won eight La Liga titles, four King’s Cups and four Champions League crowns with Barcelona, said last month he was quitting global soccer after the Argentine national side, of which he was captain, lost on penalties to Chile in the Copa America tournament.
