Football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo threatens to sue magazine after rape allegations

Cristiano Ronaldo is accused of raping an American woman in 2009. Photo / Photosport

Cristiano Ronaldo's lawyers have issued a vehement denial of claims that he raped an American woman in 2009.

Kathryn Mayorga, 34, told German magazine Der Spiegel that she was attacked by the Juventus forward - who was then playing for Real Madrid - in a Las Vegas hotel room. Ronaldo was on holiday in America at the time with his cousin and brother-in-law.

Mayorga told Der Spiegel the pair had spent the evening socialising before he raped her in the hotel.

After the alleged incident, she claimed Ronaldo fell to his knees and said he was "99 per cent a good guy" who was let down by the "one per cent".

Later, Ronaldo allegedly paid her $375,000 as an out-of-court settlement.

Ronaldo denies the allegations - which first surfaced on the Football Leaks website in April 2017 - and insists the sex was consensual.

His lawyers, Schertz Bergmann Rechtsanwälte, today issued a statement categorically denying the claims, calling Der Spiegel's report "blatantly illegal" and saying they would be pursuing "moral damages in an amount corresponding to the gravity of the infringement, which is probably one of the most serious violations of personal rights in recent years."