The English FA said on Thursday it was "seriously concerned" about abuse of players on social media after Chelsea and England midfielder Karen Carney was the target of threatening messages.
Carney received the abuse after Chelsea's Champions League win over Fiorentina on Wednesday with the Instagram user posting rape and death threats against the 31-year-old player.
"The FA takes such matters extremely seriously," the English game's governing body said in a statement. "The abuse of players on social networking sites is a serious concern and we call on the police and social media organisations to do everything they can to help tackle this growing problem.