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Cristiano Ronaldo Accepts €18.8 Million Fine Over Tax Fraud Case

Cristiano Ronaldo Accepts €18.8 Million Fine Over Tax Fraud Case

The Real Madrid and Portugal forward has also been given a suspended two year prison sentence.

Ryan Sidle

Ryan Sidle

Real Madrid and Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo has accepted an €18.8 Million fine from Spanish courts and handed a suspended two year prison sentence as part of a tax fraud case.

Cristiano Ronaldo might be getting ready for his country's opening game at the World Cup against Spain later on Friday evening will have had his attention taking from the tax fraud case against him.

Ronaldo after winning the Champions League. Image: PA Images
Ronaldo after winning the Champions League. Image: PA Images

The forward had admitted four charges of fraud and had accepted the settlement of £16.5 million. Spanish newspaper El Mundo reported that last September the player had offered £12.9 million but it had been rejected by the Spanish government.

Spanish law allows someone who has no previous criminal record and receives a sentence of two years or less to serve it as a suspended sentence.

The story about Ronaldo's tax fraud came out over a year ago and the perceived lack of support from the club led the former Manchester United player to claim he no longer wanted to play in Spain.

Of course the 33 year old ended up staying at the Bernabeu, picked up his second 'The Best' award and fifth Ballon d'Or just months later and went on to win the FIFA Club World Cup and Champions League last season.

Once again this summer there are talks that Ronaldo wants to leave the club. He claimed after the Champions League final that he could leave with subsequent reports claiming his decision to leave was 'irreversible.'

Manchester United and PSG have been linked with moves for the former Sporting man but that's mainly because they're two of the only sides who could afford to sign him.

Ronaldo celebrates his goal at the 2010 World Cup. Image: PA Images
Ronaldo celebrates his goal at the 2010 World Cup. Image: PA Images

PSG could weirdly be more likely despite needing to raise €60 million to comply with FFP rules because to make the money they could sell Neymar or Mbappe to Real and get Ronaldo as a replacement.

Ronaldo is currently with Portugal at the World Cup where they face fellow Iberian side Spain as well as Morocco and Iran in the Group Stage.

Weirdly the Real all time top goalscorer has only bagged three goals in his World Cup history but he has done it over three tournaments, scoring against Iran in 2006, North Korea in 2010 and Ghana in 2014.

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