Argentine footballer Lionel Messi, star player for Spanish football club Barcelona, and his father Jorge have been charged with tax fraud by a Spanish judge, media reports said on Thursday.

The judge accused the Argentine World Player of the Year and his father of defrauding the Spanish tax office of more than 4 million euros (3.4 million pounds) over a three year period from 2007 to 2009, El Pais newspaper reported.

The Barcelona court could not immediately confirm the reports.

The Barcelona player and his father will have to appear in court on September 17, El Pais reported.