A state prosecutor for Spain's northeastern region of Catalonia has lodged a lawsuit against Lionel Messi for fraud in unpaid income tax amounting to 4 million euros (US$5.3 million).

The complaint, signed by prosecutor Raquel Amado, has been submitted for trial at the courthouse in Gava, the upscale Barcelona district where the Argentina forward lives. The document, presented to the court yesterday, brings a lawsuit against Barcelona star Messi and his father, Jorge Horacio Messi. A judge at the courthouse must accept the prosecutor's lawsuit before charges can be brought against the duo.

In a statement released via his Facebook page, Messi said: "We have just known through the media about the claim filed by the Spanish tax authorities. We are surprised about the news, because we have never committed any infringement.

"We have always fulfilled all our tax obligations, following the advice of our tax consultants, who will take care of clarifying this situation."