Spanish court acquits football star Neymar in fraud trial

Brazil’s Neymar celebrates after scoring his side’s opening goal during the World Cup quarter-final match between Croatia and Brazil (Martin Meissner/AP)

A Spanish court has acquitted football star Neymar and his fellow defendants in a fraud and corruption trial related to the Brazilian’s 2013 transfer from Santos to Barcelona.

The plaintiff, Brazilian company DIS, had accused Neymar, his father, and the former presidents of Santos and Barcelona of having intentionally hidden the cost of his transfer to avoid paying DIS what it was due as the partial holder of his player rights.