Veteran football manager and current Brazil national team coach, Carlo Ancelotti, has been sentenced to one year in prison for tax fraud linked to his time at Real Madrid.
The 66-year-old Italian tactician was found guilty of failing to pay taxes on image rights earnings from 2014, during his first stint as Los Blancos manager. Reports allege Ancelotti misled Spanish tax authorities and avoided paying over £833,000 in income tax.
Though he denied intentional wrongdoing, Ancelotti admitted underpaying his taxes, blaming his accountants for the oversight. He also argued that he didn’t meet the required 183-day residency threshold that obligates tax payments in Spain.
However, Ancelotti is not expected to serve jail time, as Spanish law typically suspends sentences under two years for non-violent first-time offenders.
The former Chelsea, AC Milan, Bayern Munich, and Everton boss is now leading Brazil’s national team and is expected to guide the Seleção into the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite the legal setback.
