Tax fraud in Spain
Carlo Ancelotti sentenced to prison terms
07.07.2025 – 5:40 p.m.Reading time: 2 min.
A Madrid court condemned Carlo Ancelotti for tax fraud. For the Italian trainer, however, the punishment remains without liability.
Carlo Ancelotti has been sentenced to a one -year prison sentence by a court in Madrid. The 66-year-old, who has recently been training the Brazilian national team, was guilty of tax offense in 2014. In addition to the prison sentence, Ancelotti has to pay a fine of 386,361 euros.
The conviction is related to Ancelotti’s earlier work as a trainer of Real Madrid. The Spanish public prosecutor accused him of not declaring essential parts of his income in 2014 and 2015. For example, the Italian only stated his salary as head coach in the tax return, but had hidden income from image rights via a “complex” network from foreign societies. According to the indictment, the total amount of the evaded taxes is said to have been more than one million euros.
The court partially followed this assessment. For the 2014 tax year, the judges saw an intentional fraud as proven. However, Ancelotti was acquitted for the following year 2015.
Since the imprisonment imposed is below the two-year limit applicable in Spain and there are no further offenses, the punishment for probation is suspended. Ancelotti therefore does not have to be detained.
Spain has been consistent against tax offenses in professional football for several years. Prominent players such as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo and coach José Mourinho have already been convicted of similar offenses. In these cases, too, prison terms were not executed, but were replaced by money requirements or probation regulations.
Ancelotti initially trained Real Madrid from 2013 to 2015 and returned in 2021. During this time he won the Champions League twice with the club. After his farewell in May 2025, he took over the Brazilian selection. With five titles, he is the most successful coach in the history of the most important European club competition.