Brazil national team manager, Carlo Ancelotti has been sentenced to one year in prison by a Spanish court over tax fraud charges dating back to his time as Real Madrid’s head coach.
According to multiple reports, including The Sun UK and BBC Sport, Ancelotti was found guilty of concealing income related to his image rights during the 2014 tax year. At the time, the veteran Italian coach was in charge of Real Madrid during his first spell at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Ancelotti, now 66, was accused of failing to pay over €1 million (approx. £830,000) in taxes while earning a reported €6 million net salary. However, he was acquitted of similar charges relating to the 2015 fiscal year.
- Despite the conviction, Ancelotti will not serve time in jail, as Spanish law typically allows suspended sentences for non-violent crimes under two years, especially for first-time offenders.
Ancelotti Ordered to Pay Fine
While avoiding prison, Ancelotti has been ordered to pay a fine of €386,361.93 (about £333,000) for the tax violation. The former Chelsea, Everton, Bayern Munich, and Napoli manager reportedly repaid the full tax debt in December 2021.
In his court testimony, Ancelotti claimed he had no intention of committing fraud, saying he trusted his financial advisers to manage the structure of his earnings.
HEED: Follow us on Instagram or any other social media platform and get the most reliable news directly in your favorite app!
“I never thought about committing fraud,” Ancelotti said. “I left everything in the hands of the experts. At the time, most players and even previous coaches had similar arrangements.”
Not the First Tax Scandal in Spanish Football
Ancelotti joins a growing list of high-profile football figures entangled in tax evasion cases in Spain:
- Lionel Messi (Barcelona): received a 21-month sentence in 2017, later converted to a fine.
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid): accepted an €18.8 million fine in 2019.
- Jose Mourinho (Real Madrid): fined €2.2 million for tax offences during the 2011–12 season.
- Ancelotti recently left Real Madrid at the end of the 2023/24 season and officially took over as head coach of the Brazilian national team in 2025.
Naija Blog Daily will continue to bring you the latest on football scandals, sports law updates, and celebrity legal news from around the world.
NaijaBlogDaily is visible on all social media platforms, bringing you the latest Nigerian news on politics, economy, entertainment, and celebrity updates. Including sports across Nigeria and beyond…
Keep visiting and following up with us on any social media platform you are using to keep you updated 💯
Remember (information brings knowledge and power).
STAY TUNED!!!
