Most Brazilians think Neymar is 'innocent': Poll

Rio De Janeiro: Most Brazilians believe Neymar did not rape a woman who has accused him of sexual assault, a poll showed on Friday, with more than 60 percent of respondents declaring him innocent.

The injured star striker has been flooded with messages of support on social media from his millions of followers as the scandal dominates headlines and conversations in the soccer-mad country, days before it hosts the Copa America.

Neymar, who has strongly denied the allegations, was forced out of the tournament after spraining his ankle in Brazil's 2-0 win over Qatar in a friendly on Wednesday.

In the days after the alleged rape scandal erupted last Saturday, Parana Pesquisas asked 2,071 Brazilians if they thought Neymar was guilty or innocent of the accusation. Nearly 63 percent said he was innocent, while only 14 percent thought he was guilty of raping Najila Trindade Mendes de Souza in a Paris hotel in May. More than half of those surveyed were women and nearly 60% of them said he was innocent.