Brazil national team manager Carlo Ancelotti has been sentenced to one year in prison and fined €386,000 by a Madrid court for tax fraud committed during his time at Real Madrid in 2014.

An official statement was released on Wednesday, confirming the charge.

Despite the verdict, Ancelotti is unlikely to serve any time behind bars.

Under Spanish law, non-violent offenders with no prior criminal record typically have prison sentences under two years suspended.

Spanish prosecutors originally pursued a harsher penalty, seeking a prison term of four years and nine months, along with a fine totalling €3.2 million ($3.7 million).

The case centred on claims that Ancelotti failed to declare income from image rights on his 2014 and 2015 tax returns, reporting only his wages from Real Madrid.

Authorities alleged that this omission violated Spanish tax regulations.

🚨 Carlo Ancelotti has been sentenced to a one-year prison term in Spain for tax fraud.

It's unlikely he'll serve any jail time, as defendants are rarely required to serve sentences under two years for a non-violent crime in Spanish law. pic.twitter.com/xJNbfOj7KV

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) July 9, 2025

Ancelotti joins a list of well-known figures in the football world who have come under scrutiny from Spain’s tax agency in recent years.

Several high-profile cases involving top players like Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal and Spain’s Diego Costa were settled out of court with significant financial penalties.

In contrast, former Real Madrid midfielder and current Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso took his case to trial.

He was ultimately acquitted, and Spain’s Supreme Court upheld that decision in 2023, reinforcing his claim of innocence.

Ancelotti left Real Madrid at the end of the 2024-25 season, linking up with the Brazil national team, where he hopes to lead them into the 2026 World Cup.