Soccer star loses tax fraud appeal

Footballer Lionel Messi has lost his Supreme Court appeal over a tax fraud conviction in Spain.

The court confirmed the 21-month prison sentence handed to Messi for defrauding tax authorities of 4.1m euro (£3.5m) from 2007-2009.

He is not expected to go to prison because sentences of less than two years for first offences are usually suspended in Spain.

The court maintained the two million euro (£1.72m) fine handed to the Argentina player in last year’s trial.