Lionel Messi Sued For $5 Million In Unpaid Income Taxes

Argentina's Lionel Messi leaves the field after a 2014 World Cup qualifying soccer match against Colombia in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, June 7, 2013. The match ended 0-0. (AP Photo/Eduardo Di Baia)

Even the best in the world need to worry about taxes.

A Spanish state prosecutor has sued Argentinean soccer great Lionel Messi for $5.3 million in unpaid income taxes.

The prosecutor also brought a lawsuit against the FC Barcelona star's father, Jorge Horacio Messi.

Both are accused of fraud after they allegedly failed to pay millions on income tax returns for 2007, 2008 and 2009.

The complaint, signed by prosecutor Raquel Amado, was submitted for trial at the courthouse in Gava, the upscale Barcelona suburb where the Argentina forward lives.

A judge at the courthouse must accept the prosecutor's lawsuit before charges can proceed against Messi and his father.

Barcelona declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Messi had the day off Wednesday after playing for his national team in Quito, where Argentina was held to a 1-1 tie by Ecuador on Tuesday night in a qualifying match for the World Cup.

Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella has said Messi was expected to be in the lineup for an exhibition against Guatemala on Friday.

Messi pulled his right hamstring on April 2. He aggravated the same injury a few weeks later, sidelining him for the final three weeks of the Spanish league season.

Argentina leads the South American qualifying group for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.