London: Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo has admitted he felt "embarrassed" as he tried to shield his family from allegations he raped a woman in the United States.

Ronaldo was accused of sexually assaulting Kathryn Mayorga in a Las Vegas hotel in June 2009. The Portugal forward denied the claims and the investigation was closed 10 years ago. It reopened in 2018, shortly before Mayorga filed a civil lawsuit in September and offered details she initially withheld. Prosecutors announced in July this year that they would not be prosecuting the case because the allegations could not "be proven beyond a reasonable doubt".