Cristiano Ronaldo has said that he needs people to hate him in order to remain motivated in his career.

The three-time Ballon d'Or winner revealed that away matches for Real Madrid often see him as the subject of animosity from the home fans as he is singled out for the threat he poses on the pitch.

However, the Portugal captain insists that that is all just part of football, adding that it spurs him on to reach even greater heights.

"I don't mind people hating me, because it pushes me," he told The Times. "When I go to play away, they are always against me, but it is good.

"You have to see the good things from the haters. I need the enemy. It is part of the business. They start screaming when I touch the ball, it had started already when I was 18 or 19. It is not a problem for me. It is a motivation.

"I am not the humblest person in the world, I admit that. But in one way I am very humble. I like to learn, I want to learn from other sports, the best athletes. What are they doing? You can improve on this, on that. I think it is interesting."

Ronaldo has scored 325 goal in 312 games in all competition for Real.