Carlo Ancelotti, the current Brazil national team manager and former Real Madrid coach, has been sentenced to one year in prison for tax fraud dating back to 2014.
The Spanish court found the 66-year-old guilty of concealing income related to his image rights while managing Real Madrid. However, Ancelotti was acquitted of separate tax-related charges from 2015, which also stemmed from his time at the Spanish club.
Despite the one-year sentence, Ancelotti is unlikely to serve jail time. Under Spanish law, non-violent first-time offenders given sentences under two years often avoid prison, instead serving probation or paying a fine.
Prosecutors accused Ancelotti of misleading Spanish tax authorities and avoiding more than £833,000 in taxes. He has denied any intentional wrongdoing and blamed the shortfall on accounting errors. He also argued that he didn’t meet the 183-day residency threshold required to be taxed in Spain that year.
Ancelotti’s situation echoes that of other football stars who’ve faced legal troubles over image rights and tax, including Lionel Messi. The Barcelona legend and his father were convicted in 2016 for defrauding the Spanish government of £3.4 million. Messi avoided jail by paying a large fine.
Ancelotti managed Real Madrid from 2013 to 2015 before stints at Bayern Munich, Napoli, and Everton. He returned to Madrid in 2021 and left again in 2024 to manage Brazil.
