Former footballer Adebayo Akinfenwa is hoping his new Amazon Prime documentary Beast Mode On will inspire others, knowing he went against the odds to enjoy a successful career.
The 40-year-old, who retired from football at the end of last season after a career spanning more than 20 years, tells his rollercoaster story of ups and downs across the lower leagues of English football in his documentary that will be released on Friday.
The striker, nicknamed The Beast, enjoyed spells with the likes of Millwall, Northampton Town, Wimbledon, Gillingham and Wycombe Wanderers where he notched more than 200 goals in total.
But more than that he is known for being FIFA's strongest player and his charisma that has seen him attract global interest and recognition from big names such as Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp, Jose Mourinho and boxing star Anthony Joshua to name a few.
'It’s rare that somebody is not part of the five per cent of the elite gets to write a book or get to have a documentary that is going to be on Amazon Prime,' Akinfenwa told Sportsmail.
'It is rare and listen I know i’m not the typical footballer and that I didn’t have the typical career.
'I hope when people watch it or hear my story. To be unapologetic and comfortable in your own skin, of course there is perceptions in the game that you’ve got to be a certain way, maybe not the game just in society that you have got to be a certain way.
'Of course, I didn’t get to the Prem, so there is pros and cons to every way you take.
'At the same time, I hope my story does inspire people to be comfortable in their own skin.'
He added: 'Yeah man, listen, i’m a father of five and i talk to my kids and try to drum into them to be comfortable in your skin. Don’t try to impress, just try to do your best, and to be the best version of yourself.
'I hope when individuals watch this documentary, read clips or read the book, that it does just enforce to them that i’m cool. I didn’t set out to be different, I didn’t set out to be 16 stone, i didn’t set out to love the gym.
'I just always set out to be the best version of myself. I hope that is what inspires individuals. It doesn’t matter where you come from, what you look like, just be the best version of yourself.'
Akinfenwa also revealed the biggest highlight of his career, other than becoming a professional footballer, was winning promotion to the Championship after beating Oxford United at the Wembley with Wycombe Wanderers' at the age of 38.
'My most proudest moment is making it as a professional, i’ve said that. I think everything other than that is sub headings because the aim was to become a professional footballer.
'Whenever you’ve got a dream and make it that has to be your proudest moment.
'The stand-out for me that sits on the heart was getting promoted to the Championship. That’s got to be the stand-out one because I was old enough to take it in.
'I think sometimes when you get your accolades when you are younger you think I can better that feeling, whereas I achieved that accolade at the age of 38, knowing that it’s the pinnacle of my career.
'The fact that it was it was in unprecedented times when there was no fans, even though we couldn’t celebrate on the pitch with our fans and families, it was just a moment of the band of brothers that were together and we took that moment.
'To get promoted to the Championship at the age of 38 just sits on my heart.'
After achieving that promotion the life-long Liverpool fan received a call from Reds boss Jurgen Klopp to congratulate him. That and messages from other top managers Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho are moments he holds close to his heart.
'I think sometimes as footballers, we’re still fans, and the aim for everybody is to play as high as you can. I never got to the elite stage, I always wanted to play in the Prem. I never got that. I’m a product of the EFL and the lower leagues.
'People that you watch everyday of TV, luckily enough for me I’m a Liverpool supporter, and managed to play against the team I support.
'I’m in contact with the teams that I support and it’s no different when it comes to the legends of the game. When you’ve got Pep saying what he is saying.
'Mourinho saying what he is saying. Still one of the highlights on my entire career is getting that message from Klopp after achieving something that I never thought I would achieve and that is getting promoted to the Champ. All of that just brings it into that surreal feeling.'
The documentary starts from his childhood right up through to when he graduated from Watford's youth setup, to then joining Lithuanian domestic side FK Atlantas in 2001 before briefly moving to Welsh club Barry Town a year later.
The target man's first stint in England at senior level arrived in 2002 at Boston United before he went on to make a name for himself in the lower leagues and on FIFA.
But he never dreamt of having his own book or documentary and admitted it was 'humbling' to be able to reflect on his career in such a way.
'When I did my book about my story, it’s still mind boggling to me and it’s humbling on so many levels to be able to be in this position for the documentary to be coming out this week.
'I ain’t going to lie man, it weren’t easy doing it. There was some long long days, repetitive days, but just to be able to see where i started to where I am now, i’m blessed.
'I was always one to say at the end of my career that is when I will look back at it, when you’re in it you’re in it. It was nice.
'For everyone that knows me, knows I really haven’t got a problem about talking about the set-backs and the trials and tribulations. I’m a pretty open book because I do believe your path is what kind of turns you into the individual that you are today. You’re the product of your own experiences.
'I’m older now so when I look at things that at the time were the end of the world sort of thing, you look back at it, and you just take it for what it was, a set-back, and it shaped you.
'It was nice in that aspect, to look back and recollect the feelings at the time. I won’t lie to you it is humbling, these new milestones that I hit. It’s always humbling.'