An international contractor management specialist has urged contractors not to follow the Argentinian footballer’s lead as he could face a potential €4m (£3.1m) fine. It’s alleged that Messi and his father funnelled image rights payments from major companies such as Pepsi and Adidas through purely instrumental entities registered in Belize and Uruguay.

Michelle Reilly, managing director of CXC Global, said: “While the allegations are still in the relatively early stages, it does appear as if Messi and his father have utilised non-compliant solutions to avoid paying the appropriate levels of tax. However, much of the argument hinges on whether he was actually aware that the scheme was taking place. He argues that he was not, although judges have suggested that Messi was listed as sole administrator of one of the companies.

“While I’m sure Messi can handle such a heavy fine, most contractors could not and we’d urge them to avoid adopting the sort of solutions that he has been accused of utilising. The risks are far too great and with authorities clamping down all over the world, you’re highly unlikely to get away with it. After all, if Messi can’t, who can? Unfortunately it appears his almost superhuman skills on the football pitch haven’t translated to his ability to manage his tax status. We’d urge Lionel and all contractors to use a solution that can help them avoid paying non-compliance fines in the future.”