Cristiano Ronaldo's sister apologises to Syrians for 'disrespectful' remarks

Football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo's sister has apologised to the Syrian people for remarks she made on Twitter that many deemed disrespectful to Syrians.

Katia Aveiro recently said that vandals who painted 'Messi 10' on a statue of the Real Madrid star in his hometown of Fuchal "deserve to live in Syria".

Vandals daubed the statue with the Barcelona star's name in red paint after he won the Ballon d'Or for the fifth time, with Ronaldo finishing as runner-up on this occasion.

"I don't really think that I have to apologize for something that I haven't said, but out of respect for the people who write me Syrian nationality, I will do," Aveiro tweeted.

"When the media talked of war and refugees, I have always shown support to come to our country and most of them are welcome in the countries they go," she added.

Real Madrid soccer club this week invited Ahmad Dawabsheh, the sole survivor of an arson attack on his family home in Palestine that killed his parents and baby brother, for a special visit to Spain to meet his favourite football player Ronaldo.

Ronaldo also met with a three-year-old Lebanese orphan who lost his parents in bombing in Beirut last December.

Last September, the Syrian refugee family whose plight was made famous when they were tripped up by a Hungarian camerawoman as they fled met with Ronaldo and other Real Madrid players.