Lionel Messi's 21-month prison sentence upheld by Spanish Supreme Court

New Delhi: Barcelona's Argentine superstar Lionel Messi and his father Jorge have lost their appeal to Spain's Supreme Court against a 21-month prison sentence for tax fraud on Wednesday.

Spain's Supreme Court today upheld the jail sentence and two-million-euro ($2.2-million) fine imposed on Messi for tax fraud, months after the Barcelona star lodged an appeal.

Messi, 29, was sentenced in July 2016, but it is likely to be suspended as is common in Spain for first offences for non-violent crimes carrying a sentence of less than two years.

It's worth noting that Messi and his father were charged with using tax havens in Uruguay and Belize and shell companies in the United Kingdom and Switzerland to avoid paying taxes.

Reports claimed the duo avoided paying $4.6 million in taxes to Spanish authorities from 2007 to 09.

Messi is regarded as one of the greatest ever football players, and is a five-time world player of the year.