Archive · 23 Jul 2026
FIFA World Cup 2026: Ronaldo remains Instagram king, Haaland gains most followers
The FIFA World Cup 2026 was not just about exciting matches but also about how players became more popular on Instagram.
Cristiano Ronaldo stayed the most-followed athlete with over 677 million followers.
Erling Haaland had the biggest increase in followers, gaining 31.7 million.
Other players like Vozinha, Jude Bellingham, and Lamine Yamal also saw big jumps in their follower counts.
This shows how big sports events can make players more famous online.
Cristiano Ronaldo remained the most-followed athlete on Instagram with 677.3 million followers.
Erling Haaland gained the most followers during the tournament, adding 31.7 million.
Vozinha, the Cape Verde goalkeeper, saw a significant rise with 29.5 million new followers.
Jude Bellingham and Lamine Yamal also experienced substantial follower growth.
Established stars like Lionel Messi and Neymar Jr. gained followers but at a slower rate.
- Who
- Cristiano Ronaldo, Erling Haaland, Vozinha, Jude Bellingham, Lamine Yamal, Lionel Messi, Neymar Jr.
- What
- FIFA World Cup 2026 social media impact
- When
- During the FIFA World Cup 2026
- Where
- Global
- Why
- Global sporting events amplify players' digital influence
Established Stars
Rising Stars
Follower Growth
Established Stars
Established stars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi gained followers but at a slower rate compared to rising stars.
Rising Stars
Rising stars like Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham saw significant follower growth, highlighting their increasing global appeal.
- Most Followed Athlete
- Cristiano Ronaldo
- Biggest Follower Jump
- Erling Haaland
- Ronaldo's Total Followers
- 677.3 million
- Haaland's Follower Gain
- 31.7 million
- Vozinha's Follower Gain
- 29.5 million
- Bellingham's Follower Gain
- 11.7 million
- Yamal's Follower Gain
- 9 million
- Messi's Follower Gain
- 7.8 million