Cristiano Ronaldo didn't expect to become a professional footballer

Cristiano Ronaldo says he knew he was 'different' to the other kids when he started playing football - but never expected to be a professional.

Ronaldo started his youth career at just eight years old at CF Andorinha, but never at that age did Ronaldo think he would go onto achieve the greatness he has.

At 30-years-old, Ronaldo now has three Ballon d'Ors to his name, as well as league winners medals in England and Spain and two Champions League medals.

Many believe that Ronaldo is the best football player in the world - and potentially the greatest of all-time - after successful spells with Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United and now Real Madrid.

Those heights all stemmed from one time when his father told him to join up with his local team.

"Everyone in my family loves football," Ronaldo said in an exclusive interview for Herbalife.

"I remember one day playing in the street. My father said to me, 'why don't you come into the club when I work?' I say yes, why not. And I started to play.

"I go to training every day and I liked being part of a team. I trained every day and my father was there to help me."

But from the moment he joined in with the other kids, he knew that he was slightly different to the rest of them.

Despite that, he only had dreams of playing at a professional level with the biggest clubs in the world a few years later.

"In the beginning, I felt that I was different to the other kids.

"I did not think that one day I would be a professional, playing for Manchester United or Real Madrid or Sporting.

"I would just play to enjoy but I was never thinking I have talent and I'm going to be a professional. In the beginning, I did not feel that.

"But after three or four years, I started thinking 'I want to play there' and I started watching the games and then I started to dream about it."

Ronaldo has previously revealed that he was branded "too skinny" when he was a youngster - and that helped motivate him to the top of the game.