Cristiano Ronaldo's family have spoken up for the first time on social media over the sexual allegation claims made by former American model.
Ronaldo's mum, Dolores and sister Katia both posted pictures of the Juventus striker in a superman cape.
The pair added matching captions that read: "I want to see who has the courage to put this photo on their profile for a week and make a chain for him..for Portugal, for him, for us and for the union of our people, for justice. He deserves it."
The animated picture of Ronaldo carried two hashtags in Portuguese. One translates as "#Ronaldo, we are with you to the end" and the other #Justicacr7 as "#Justice for CR7."
Katia's message got nearly 15,000 likes in the first hour after she posted it, with one insisting: "I support Cristiano. This seems like a trap because there are things that don't make sense."
Another, a Portuguese national called Renan Soares, said: "United we will conquer."
A fan posted a photo on her Facebook page in response to Cristiano's mum's message, showing her kissing his Portuguese football shirt with the number seven written on it.
She said: "Together we will be stronger and Ronaldo will feel that strength. Yesterday, today and always I will be with you."
The 33-year-old is facing a new US police investigation over Kathryn Mayorga's claims he forcefully had his way with her at a Las Vegas hotel in 2009 after inviting her to his penthouse suit.
But the former Real Madrid talisman described Mayorga's accusation as "fake news" before adding in a tweet: "Rape is an abominable crime that goes against everything that I am and believe in.
"Keen as I may be to clear my name, I refuse to feed the media spectacle created by people seeking to promote themselves at my expense."
The original police investigation into the claims was abandoned and Ms Mayorga alleges she reached a £287,000 settlement with Ronaldo in 2010 in exchange for her silence.
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