Cristiano Ronaldo reveals he used to cry after being away from his family to become a Real Madrid superstar
Former Manchester United striker had to move from his home in Madeira to join Sporting Lisbon at the age of 11
CRISTIANO RONALDO has revealed how he used to cry every night after having to leave his family to pursue his football dream.
The Real Madrid star has become of of the best players in the world winning the Ballon d'Or four times and countless trophies during his club career.
"When I was 11 years old, I moved from the island to the academy at Sporting Lisbon, and it was the most difficult time in my life.
"It’s crazy for me to think about now. My son, Cristiano Jr., is 7 years old as I’m writing this.
"And I just think about how I would feel, packing up a bag for him in four years and sending him to Paris or London.
"It seems impossible. And I’m sure it seemed impossible for my parents to do with me.
But it was my opportunity to pursue my dream. So they let me go, and I went. I cried almost every day.
"I was still in Portugal, but it was like moving to another country. The accent made it like a completely different language. The culture was different.
"I didn’t know anybody, and it was extremely lonely. My family could only afford to come visit me every four months or so.
"I was missing them so much that every day was painful.
"Football kept me going. I knew I was doing things on the field that the other kids at the academy couldn’t do.
"I remember the first time I heard one of the kids say to another kid, 'Did you see what he did? This guy is a beast'."