Former Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand has spoken out about becoming a dad for the fourth time.
Rio, 42, welcomed baby boy Cree just before Christmas with his wife Kate.
The sports pundit , who also has three children Lorenz, 14, Tate, 12, and Tia, nine, revealed on the Mid Point podcast with Gaby Logan that fatherhood this time round is very different.
Rio, whose late wife Rebecca Ellison passed away in 2015, admitted that his sacrifices as a footballer saw him miss out on a lot of his older children's lives.
“We think as dads that we're doing a great job and we're there in time, all the time but we're not. We're just dipping in and out because we're travelling so much," he explained.
"I was probably never there 75 per cent of the time. I was on the road travelling around Europe, playing games. When I was there, was I really there mentally? we used that excuse massively.
'We've got to go to a game'. We're probably there an hour early. It's mad stuff like that if I'm being honest."
He added about welcoming Cree: "I'm almost doing this for the first time properly.
"It's really nice in that sense."
Rio, who married former TOWIE Kate, 29, in 2019, says lockdown has seen him become more hands-on parent to five-week-old Cree
He explained: "There is no way out for Kate or for myself. There is no way out of this.
"You've got to deal with every situation. You can't go, 'I'm gonna go out for a little while and go meet a couple of mates and take my head away from it'.
"There's none of that. It does remind me a lot of when I had the three before, but it's very, very different.”
Doting stepmum Kate has been sharing her journey after giving birth for the first time with open and honest posts on her Instagram.
Last month she wrote about taking Cree to be registered that she had done her hair and makeup for the first time in six weeks.
"Tia’s words were .. ‘Kate’s back'" she said.
"I went to register Cree (without him because of Covid rules) ... so it was also the first time in 6 weeks I’ve left the house with no kids or dogs ... I shouted woo-hoo as I left. No joke!"
She added: "Mums I hope you can feel me here, we love our kids so much but wow it was nice to get out and think in peace without hearing 'Kate, Kate, where’s Kate?' Or a baby crying!
"I’ve been jealous of Rio leaving for work suited and booted, putting on his aftershave with a little spring in his step while I’m looking like I’ve been dragged through a hedge!!"
