Argentina and Barcelona superstar Leonel Messi has vowed to appeal to the Spanish Supreme Court after being sentenced to a 21 month suspended jail term for tax fraud.
On Wednesday, the court found both Messi and his father GUILTY of 3 counts of defrauding Spain of 4.1 Million Euros.
The Barcelona court also fined Messi 2 million Euros and his father, 1 point 5 million, for using tax havens in Beleez and Uruguay.
However, under Spanish law, a prison sentence under two years can be served under probation; meaning Messi and his father are unlikely to go to jail.
The Argentine’s lawyers feel an appeal would eventually succeed in persuading the court that the 5-time world player of the year and his father have behaved correctly.
Messi is Argentina's career-leading scorer with 55 goals in 113 international appearances, while winning 4 Champions League titles and 3 Club World Cup trophies with Barcelona.