International star striker Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly been handed a two-year suspended jail sentence and fined 18.8 million euros (21.7 million US dollars), after reaching a deal with Spanish authorities over a tax evasion case, according to reports in Spain.

The Real Madrid and Portugal forward was accused of defrauding Spain’s tax authority of 14.8 million euros (17.7 million US dollars) in relation to his image rights between 2011 and 2014, charges he previously denies when he appeared in court last summer.

Spanish newspaper El Mundo reported that Ronaldo offered to pay 14.7 million euros (16.5 million US dollars)  in June 2017, but the government rejected the offer with Spanish courts recently cracking down on tax evasion among footballers.

As part of the new deal, the five-time Champions League winner is reported to have pleaded guilty to the offenses and agreed to pay back the alleged evaded fee of 5.7 million euros (nearly 6.6 million US dollars), plus additional fines and interest. However, it is unlikely that he sees jail time – Spanish law states that a sentence of two years for a first offense can be served on probation, with no requirement for custody.

The deal is currently only a verbal agreement, according to reports. Any sentence would have to be signed off by the new director of the Spanish Tax Agency, which would result in all criminal and administrative proceedings coming to a close.

The news came just hours before Ronaldo was scheduled to play for Portugal’s opening World Cup match against Spain, in what was arguably one of the most important games in the group stages in terms of the tournament’s results. 

Despite the rather questionable timing, it didn’t seem to distract the dynamic striker as he seized the limelight at the Fisht Olympic Stadium in Sochi, Russia, scoring a thrilling hat trick, including a late equalizer that meant the game ended 3-3.

With Spain dominating headlines after manager Julen Lopetegui was sacked, the focus now seems to be on Portugal, both for the extraordinary performance in the first clash of the World Cup heavyweights as well as for their captain’s, equally as shocking, tax evasion charges.

In 2010, Spanish courts lifted a tax exemption known as the "Beckham law," which had allowed footballers to curb their taxes, resulting in Barcelona's Lionel Messi given a similar 21-month prison back in 2017,  but was also able to pay a fine instead.