Lionel Messi: Barcelona star appeals over tax fraud verdict

Argentine Messi, aged 29, was also fined EUR2m {pounds|local currency} (? 1. 7m; $2. 2m) by the {courtroom|court docket|judge} in Barcelona.

In addition to the prison term, Messi's father, Jorge, was fined EUR1. 5m for defrauding Spain of EUR4. 1m in 2007-09.

{Nevertheless|On the other hand|Even so}, neither man is expected to serve time in jail.

Under the Romance language legal system, prison {conditions} of under two years can be served under probation.

The pair also face millions of {pounds|local currency} in fines for using tax havens in Belize and Uruguay to {hide|cover up|disguise} earnings from image {privileges|protection under the law}.

'I knew nothing', Messi tells {courtroom|the courtroom|court docket}

Messi retires from international football

{Is usually|Is definitely|Can be} Messi {on top of that|furthermore|additionally} time?

Just how Messi reached his 500-goal milestone

Quiz: How well do you know Messi?

'Corrective payment'

"The {phrase is|word is|sentence in your essay is} not correct and we are confident the appeal will show the defence was right, {inch|inches|very well} Messi's {legal professionals|legal representatives} said in a statement several hours after the guilty {judgement was|decision was|consensus was} delivered.

The {legal professionals|legal representatives} said that "there {is a great|is an excellent|is a superb} chance that the charm will succeed", adding that Messi had always {served|were} in good faith.

The sentence can be become a huge hit against via the Romance language supreme court.

The footballer and his father were found guilty of 3 counts of tax {scams|scam|fraudulence}.

As well as the jail terms, Messi and Jorge were also fined. They made an intentional EUR5m "corrective payment", {corresponding to|comparable to} the alleged unpaid {taxes|duty} plus interest, in {Aug|September|July} 2013.

Messi earns an estimated EUR36m per {12 months|yr|season} at Barcelona, and his income of about EUR315m in the past {10 years|ten years} has {put|located} him tenth of Forbes magazine's {set of} the highest-earning athletes in the world.