We think of some players today as untouchable and sometimes even inhuman due to their super celebrity status, but it's easy to forget that they were just innocent looking kids once just like everyone else.
It's always fun to look at top football players when they were kids, so here are some of the best players when they were just children

Steven Gerrard
Liverpool through and through, this is Steven Gerrard.
The Liverpool captain is destined to become one of the greatest 'one club legends' and still isn't finished yet at the ripe old age of 33. Pictured here as a young lad in his early 90s Liverpool top.

Andre Iniesta

The Barcelona maestro is pictured here receiving a trophy from another Barca great, Pep Guardiola.
Pep must have seen his talent even back then, but it is said that perhaps even more talented players than Iniesta were with him in the La Masia academy, but none that had the attitude, drive and commitment to being the best like Iniesta did

Mario Balotelli

Where there is Super Mario there is controversy, and also some footballing genius every now and again. Mario was in the headlines during his time in England for all the wrong reasons, but our back pages are duller without him. Currently spearheading a lacklustre AC Milan team, he could be back soon enough if the papers are to be believed.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Even when Cristiano Ronaldo turned up on English shores, he bore no resemblance to the finely-tuned machine he appears today.
CR7, like most of us, will probably look back on some childhood photos and cringe. Ronaldo grew up on the Portuguese island of Madeira and is pictured here looking rather lost

Wayne Rooney

Rooney has got his groove back this season and is flourishing as United's most important player.
Pictured as a young Evertonian here, he was starting to lose his hair even back then, but he was a cheeky looking little scouser

Pics

Lionel Leo Messi

Who would have thought it? Probably not the people that knew Messi as a child.
His talent was undeniable and he could run rings around kids twice his age, but little Leo suffered from a debilitating hormone deficiency.
Barcelona saw his raw talent and offered to pay for treatment to help him grow and that will probably go down as one of the best decisions in the club's history.
His talent was undeniable and he could run rings around kids twice his age, but little Leo suffered from a debilitating hormone deficiency.
Barcelona saw his raw talent and offered to pay for treatment to help him grow and that will probably go down as one of the best decisions in the club's history

Wow this is lovely

Cool

Gareth Bale

We all know that Gareth Bale is the world's most expensive player in history, what we didn't know was how cute he was as a child.
Bale is trying to make his name in Spain, but he was once just kicking a ball around as young Southampton academy player.

Ronaldinho

Before Messi and Ronaldo, there was Ronaldinho and before Ronaldinho was terrorising defenders with his frightening skills, he was just a raw talent with unfortunate teeth.
Pictured here looking rather cute, 'the small Ronaldo' as his name denotes, was displaying unbelievable skills way beyond his age in Brazil

I love this

I want to see the picture of Taribo West and Suarez.

Pics

***lampard**
*** Henley***
***tevez***
***suarez***

Nice picx. But the truth of the matter is they all started playing the round leather right from their very tender age. So the lesson I learnt is guide your kid at the earliest age to become a great super star in life.