Spain in particular has been cracking down firmly on suspected tax evasion and avoidance by some of the most high-profile names in the sport.
Argentinean superstar Lionel Messi was found guilty of defrauding the Spanish revenue of €4.1m. He was handed a 21-month prison sentence that was later commuted with a fine.
His La Liga rival Cristiano Ronaldo is currently facing similar charges in Spain but for a much higher sum of €14.7m, which could theoretically see him behind bars. The Portuguese forward denies the charges and stated in court that the only reason he was being charged is because of who he is.
In Brazil, criminal charges against Neymar da Silva Santos Junior for evading around $20m in taxes were dropped, with the judge citing a “lack of just cause”.
He was found guilty of separate federal charges, but his fine of around £45.6m was later cut in half on appeal.
