Barcelona Star Lionel Messi has been sentenced to 21 months in jail for tax fraud.
The Argentina international was found guilty by a Spanish court and ordered to serve the term ,but under Spanish law any sentence under two years can be suspended meaning the Barcelona and former Argentina footballer will avoid spending time in jail.
The 29-year-old was accused of creating a string of fake companies in Belize and Uruguay to avoid taxation on €4.16m (£3.2m) of image rights earnings between 2007 and 2009.
During the court sessions, Messi accused his father and lawyer of not informing him about the alleged fake companies, arguing that he was so busy in the field to notice the undoings.
The Argentinian’s father Jorge Horacio Messi has also been handed the same punishment. The pair, who also face huge fines, can appeal their sentences through the Supreme Court.
The star, who retired from Argentina National Team, is however expected to play uninterrupted due to the soft sentence.