That is when I knew - Adebayor reveals what Cristiano Ronaldo did to shock him

Former CAF Player of the Year Emmanuel Adebayor has shared a fascinating story about his time playing alongside Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid.

Adebayor, one of Africa's greatest strikers, was amazed by Ronaldo's incredible work ethic and dedication to his craft.

In an interview with Optus Sport, Adebayor recalled his first training session with Ronaldo:

"Okay, this is my first session, so I'll go at 8:30 or so and I'll be about two hours early. I arrived at 8:45. All the lights were off, and the room was dark, so I was happy, 'thank God, I'm the first one to arrive here, they will see that I am a professional, they will say that I am diligent'."

However, Adebayor soon discovered that he wasn't the earliest arrival.

"But then I heard something, a noise in the background. I was like, what's going on? It was my first training session and I didn't know the facilities yet.

"I asked one of the physiotherapists what was going on downstairs. And he told me that Cristiano Ronaldo was there."

Adebayor was shocked to learn that Ronaldo had arrived at the training facility at 7:30, three hours before the scheduled start time.

"Training started at 10:30 and you arrive at 7:30. To do what? Three or four hours early! I told myself to leave him in his own world so that he could enjoy football and his career."

Adebayor's experience with Ronaldo left a lasting impression on him. "And today he is 40 years old, still in the elite, playing football, at the top... It is simply beautiful to watch. A great example."