How did you actually become a professional soccer player?

My dream has always been to become a professional soccer player. I fell in love with the sport from a very young age and it's helped me relieve stress, connect with all sorts of different people, and overall become a better, more disciplined, individual. I've always been considered a good/talented player, even from a young age, and I've always known that this is what I wanted to do, but I never understood the process that it takes to make it there. Especially from where I live, soccer isn't as popular or acknowledged as other sports. As I've grown older, I've developed a fear of, "what if it's too late." I still don't 100% understand the process it takes, and as more days pass, I see more and more people, younger than me, making it such as Cavan Sullivan. I'm very disciplined with experience in many different positions and under many different tactics, and I understand the game very well, but I worry that no one will truly get to see and invest in my potential.