Carlo Ancelotti, former Real Madrid manager and current head coach of Brazil’s national team, has been sentenced to one year in prison for tax fraud related to his time in Spain in 2014.
The 66-year-old was convicted of failing to declare more than £830,000 in earnings from image rights during his first spell at Real Madrid. Spanish prosecutors accused him of concealing income and defrauding the tax office. However, Ancelotti was acquitted of similar charges relating to the 2015 tax year.
Despite the sentence, Ancelotti is not expected to serve jail time. Under Spanish law, first-time offenders with non-violent convictions and sentences under two years are typically given suspended terms.
Ancelotti has denied any intentional wrongdoing, claiming he did not meet the 183-day residency threshold that would require him to pay taxes in Spain. He acknowledged the underpayment for 2014 but attributed the error to his financial advisers.
The case adds Ancelotti’s name to a growing list of high-profile figures in Spanish football entangled in tax disputes. Notably, Lionel Messi and his father received suspended sentences in 2016 for similar offenses.
Having returned to coach Real Madrid in 2021, Ancelotti left the club earlier this year to take over the Brazilian national team. Despite the conviction, he is expected to continue in his current role without disruption.
