Spain Hits Cristiano Ronaldo With Tax Penalty Ahead Of World Cup Match With Portugal

Soccer fans found the timing -- on the day Ronaldo's team faces rival Spain -- a little suspicious.

Soccer legend Cristiano Ronaldo has settled a tax-evasion case with Spain’s treasury for a two-year suspended prison sentence and an 18.8 million euro ($21.8 million) fine.

The punishment, announced Friday as Ronaldo and his Portugal team prepared to face rival Spain in a World Cup match, followed the soccer star’s guilty plea last year to evading 14.7 million euros ($16.5 million) in taxes. Ronaldo denied the charge, even though he pleaded guilty.

Spanish law allows first-time offenders to serve sentences of less than two years on probation, as long as they commit no further violations, according to Spanish outlet El Mundo.

People on Twitter couldn’t help but note the timing of the announcement.

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