Madonna admits her children’s lives would be ‘less challenging’ if they ‘didn’t have her as their mother

Madonna has revealed her children’s lives would be ‘less challenging’ if they ‘didn’t have her as a mother.’

The pop icon, 60, said she believes Lourdes, 22, Rocco, 18, David, 13, Mercy, 13, and twins Estere and Stelle, six, sometimes ‘wish [she] wasn’t Madonna’.

The songstress’ confession came as she admitted it ‘took [her] breath away’ when she realised how famous she had become in the early years of her career.

Speaking on the Graham Norton Show on Friday, she said: ‘I think they wish I wasn’t Madonna. I think it would be less challenging, in their minds, if they didn’t have me as their mother.’

The Like a Prayer hitmaker went on to discuss her life as a ‘soccer mom’ in Lisbon, where she moved with her brood after her son David was snapped up by the Benfica Youth Academy.

She said: ‘I surprised myself. Barcelona and Turin were an option, but I couldn’t see myself living there. It would have been a lot easier if he’d liked music!

‘I admit I only watch [the games] when he’s playing. If he’s on the bench, I’m on my phone!’