Los Angeles: Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo has been served with court papers related to a rape lawsuit in the United States, according to documents filed by his lawyers on Friday. Five-time world player of the year Ronaldo is accused of rape by Kathryn Mayorga, who claims the Portuguese soccer star assaulted her in a Las Vegas hotel in 2009. Ronaldo, 34, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid player, has strongly denied the accusations against him, insisting their encounter was consensual.

The legal process in the civil case had been held up as "federal court's rules on serving foreigners" meant an identical state-level case needed to be dropped, Mayorga's attorney said last week. A motion filed in federal court in Nevada on Friday said "the parties have agreed to deem Defendant effectively served," meaning Ronaldo has officially received court documents in the case, allowing it to move forward. Former model Mayorga made the accusations against Ronaldo, who now lives in Turin, in a complaint filed last year.