Cristiano Ronaldo's sister enraged as Lionel Messi fans vandalise Portugal star's statue in celebration of Argentine's 5th Ballon D'or

A well known statue of Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo on his native island of Madeira has been tagged with the name and number of longtime Barcelona rival Lionel Messi.

The statue was erected in Madeira's capital city, Funchal, in 2014 in honour of the Real Madrid forward's footballing achievements.

The Portuguese's sister, Katia Aveiro, has expressed her outrage after the graffiti was found on Tuesday following the 30-year-old's loss to the Argentine in the 2015 Ballon D'or o Monday.

The victory marked the fifth occasion on which Messi had picked up the award, compared to Ronaldo's three. 

The famous statue of Ronaldo was inscribed with the name and number of rival Lionel Messi

Ronaldo's sister, Katia Aveiro (R), has expressed her outrage at the news, blasting those responsible

Aveiro, blasting those responsible, went as far as to suggest that the perpetrators would be more at home in war-torn Syria rather than the island.

She took to her personal twitter account to say:

'You all know I'm this man's sister, and above all how much proud I am to be so, and to know the wonderful and fighting person he is'

'I find the act in itself a disgrace but what I find more shameful is the envy that surrounds him and the anger that some unloved and frustrated pig-headed people display in public in a disgraceful way which leaves me embarrassed and sad as a Portuguese person.

'The people that are responsible for this and other negative things directed towards this person should know that our island was recently voted the world's leading island destination not just for the beautiful sea that surrounds us, nor for the marvellous gastronomy we also have nor the warm Madeiran welcome.

The Barcelona forward pipped the Ronaldo to claim an historic fifth Ballon d'Or on Monday evening

Messi and Ronaldo have rivaled each-other for the title of world's best player for the last decade  

'It was in part thanks to this great Madeiran figure that honours his origins and from time to time emphasises it in public.

'Most of us should thank and salute to this man, it's thanks to him that a lot of Madeirenses still have their jobs.

'My beautiful island, regrettably, is still inhabited by some frustrated savages who deserve to live in Syria, between people that show no respect and hold no value for life in society.

'I apologise for the ones who live the sadness of war, but I believe some people don't belong on the land they live in.' 

Aveiro described those involved as 'savages' who 'deserve to live in Syria'