Madrid, Aug 2 (IANS): Portuguese footballer and Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo on Sunday said he never believed as a child that he would turn a professional one day.

He began training with Andorinha -- a club on his home island of Madeira but says he did not consider himself to have special talent.

"In my family we all love football. I remember that one day I was playing in the street and my father told me: 'Why don't you train at the club when I go to work?'. I said yes, why not? So I started to play," Ronaldo was quoted as saying by goal.com.

"I went to train every day and I enjoyed being part of the team. My father was always there for me.

"At first I felt I was different to the other children. I never thought I was going to become a professional or go to Manchester United, Real Madrid or Sporting.

"At that time I just wanted to enjoy it and it wasn't going through my head that I had talent. At first I didn't think that."

But the former Manchester United midfielder added that after a few years he began to think of a career at the very top.

"After three or four years I started to think: 'I want to play there'. I got to watch all the matches and I dreamed of wearing the shirts."