Maybe it pays not to play for FC Barcelona. Over the past years, what appears to be a disproportionate number of FC Barcelona soccer players have faced Spanish tax authorities to answer charges of tax fraud. That wasn’t the case for Bayern Munich midfielder Xabi Alonso, however, who was given a pass when a Spanish judge dropped the tax fraud case against him.
The case against Alonso began in 2015 and focused on 2010 through 2012 when Alonso was at Real Madrid. Alonso, a native of Spain, moved to Liverpool in 2004 but made a switch to Real Madrid in 2009. Alonso stayed with Real Madrid for five years, and in 2014, he transferred to Bayern Munich.
(Bayern, of course, has faced tax related allegations of their own. For more, click here.)
Alonso consistently denied any wrongdoing, assuring fans that he had fully complied with “each and every one” of his financial obligations. Spanish tax authorities had initially alleged that he failed to declare income related to his image rights. This week, however, El Confidential reported that a judge in a Madrid court dismissed the charges, finding that no crime had been committed.
It’s a curious departure from cases involving FC Barcelona players with similar circumstances.
In 2016, a Spanish court found FC Barcelona striker Lionel Messi guilty of three counts of tax fraud despite making a “corrective payment” to clear tax debts that Spanish authorities allege were due. The charges stemmed from allegations raised in 2013 that Messi’s father used a series of shell companies in tax havens to shield royalties and other licensing income from tax. In the scheme, which dated back to 2005, income from lucrative contracts with such companies as Pepsi-Cola, Procter & Gamble, and Adidas was reportedly funneled offshore to Belize and Uruguay through an elaborate maze of entities and countries to avoid paying income tax in Spain. The soccer star was sentenced to 21 months in prison but vowed an appeal.
That same year, FC Barcelona’s Javier Mascherano pleaded guilty to two counts of tax fraud. As punishment, Mascherano was fined €815,000 ($880,078 US) and sentenced to 12 months in prison.
Also in 2016, former FC Barcelona striker Samuel Eto’o Fils (Samuel Eto’o), who currently plays as a striker for Antalyaspor, was accused of tax evasion. Spanish prosecutors allege that for part of that time, 2006-2009, Eto’o failed to pay over $4 million in taxes. They are seeking a fine of $15.1 million as well as a prison sentence of 10 years and six months.
Spanish prosecutors have also followed up on allegations that FC Barcelona engaged in wrongdoing related to the transfer of Brazil forward Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior (known simply as Neymar). FC Barcelona agreed to pay €9.3 million ($10.42 million U.S.) in back taxes and a fine of €5.5 million ($6.16 million U.S.) to Spanish tax authorities to settle a tax dispute related to the charges.
Despite the settlement, prosecutors want to hold Neymar accountable for his alleged part in the fraud related to the transfer. Prosecutors are also pushing for prison time for Neymar’s father and former FC Barcelona club president Sandro “Sandy” Rosell. Prosecutors dismissed charges against current Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu, finding that he did not directly participate in talks related to the transfer.
If that list sounds long, you’re in good company. It hasn’t escaped notice from soccer fans that high profile players tied to Barcelona have been consistently dogged by allegations of tax evasion. Other players accused of tax fraud with links to Barcelona include Arsenal forward (and former Barcelona player) Alexis Sanchez and Adriano (formerly with Barcelona, now with Beşiktaş).
Barcelona is ranked #2 on Forbes’ list of most expensive soccer teams with an estimated team value of $3.549 billion. La Liga rival Real Madrid is ranked #1 with an estimated value of $3.645 billion. While the Barcelona rosters have been crowded with alleged tax evaders, players from Real Madrid have largely escaped criminal charges. I know, I know. It’s all facts and circumstances. But at some point, you do have to wonder about the numbers of Barcelona players accused of tax fraud. Is it coincidence, club culture, or something else?
