Is Lionel Messi in Jail?

Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi is one of the greatest soccer players in the world. However, he has not been away from controversies off the field. One of those controversies is a tax fraud case from his time in Barcelona. YouTube sensation IShowSpeed, however, has been caught up in some misinformation due to his misreading.

In a TikTok video that is going viral, Speed is seen being happy about Messi being in jail. The American YouTuber searches on a browser if Messi is in jail. He reads the first article that comes up. 

In reality, this is what the BBC article says, “Football star Lionel Messi’s 21-month prison sentence for tax fraud has been changed to a fine by the Spanish courts. The Barcelona star must pay €252,000 ($288,000, £223,000), equating to €400 for each day of the sentence, the court said in a statement.”

@ishowspeedytstream #ishowspeed #fyp ♬ Polozhenie – Izzamuzzic Remix – Скриптонит

However, Speed confuses the word “changed” with “charged.” Therefore, he misses the whole point that Messi’s jail term has been replaced with a fine and he will not go to jail. Speed then went on to claim Ronaldo is the greatest player as Messi is in jail.

What is also important to note is that the article is from 2017. Messi was caught up in tax fraud for a while during that period. While in Spain, Ronaldo was also caught up in a tax fraud case.

Lionel Messi wanted to leave FC Barcelona after the tax fraud case

In July 2016, former Barcelona player Messi and his father Jorge were both found guilty of tax fraud. According to The Independent, they were handed suspended 21-month prison sentences. According to BBC, they were found guilty of defrauding Spain of approximately $4.5 million between 2007 and 2009.

Messi contemplated leaving Spain at that point.

“At that time, with the government mess, I wanted to leave, not for wanting to leave Barca but wanting to leave Spain,” Messi told Catalonian broadcaster RAC1. “I felt that I was being very mistreated and I didn’t want to stay here. I never had an official offer because everyone knew my idea to stay here.

🇦🇷 Lionel Messi considered leaving @FCBarcelona when he was under investigation for tax fraud.

🤯 Imagine if that had happened! pic.twitter.com/6PhJPr4KeF

— SPORF (@Sporf) October 9, 2019

“It was very difficult for me and my family because people don’t know much about what’s going on. The truth is that it was hard for everything that happened but it is better that my children were small and did not know.”

The matter cooled down after all settlements were made. Messi did not go to jail for his tax fraud case. He did move out of Spain, however, and went to Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2021.