MADRID: Argentina’s World Cup inspiration and captain Lionel Messi has reportedly agreed to pay €33m to the Spanish tax authorities over issues concerning his commercial earnings from image rights between 2007 and 2009.

Messi paid off an initial fine of €4.1m but has now agreed to pay a further €25m before 2018, plus another €2.7m, taking the total to approximately €32.9m.

Argentina’s captain, their match-winning marksman against both Bosnia and Iran, will not face criminal charges.

The court was satisfied that he was unaware of the work being undertaken by his advisers.

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