Alisha Lehmann of Aston Villa and Switzerland International has been named among the top Instagram influencers following the upcoming Women’s World Cup.
Women football players from nine different nations are presented in the top 10 with only the USA having two players.
For the first time ever, there will be 32 teams competing in the event, making it the most competitive.
Many of the world’s best female players, like Chloe Kelly of England, Ada Hegerberg of Norway, and Wendie Renard of France, are leading the way to Australia and New Zealand, and many more are on the verge of breaking through.
Players will have the chance to increase their social media followers during the Women’s World Cup.
Who among them already has a sizable following?
Data analysts, Gracenote Nielsen have recorded the top ten Instagram influencers among Women World Cup football players, analyzing followers, followers growth, engagement rate, audience reliability, and average brand value per post.
Global managing director of Nielsen Sports, Jon Stainer said: “The soccer player participating at the World Cup 2023 are not only social media powerhouses, capable of driving impactful conversations and fostering genuine connections with their followers”.
The German national team’s account has more than doubled its followers in the past year, making it more influential than the accounts of France and European champion England.
This has revealed which athletes provide their sponsors with the greatest social media value.
Notably, England’s captain Leah Williamson, who would have finished fourth, will not be competing due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
So without additional worry, here are the top 10 Instagram influencers heading out to Australia and New Zealand this summer.
1 Alisha Lehmann: Aston Villa/Switzerland
Followers: 13.5 million
Follower growth: 75%
Engagement rate: 7%
Average media value of branded posts: £241,314
To see Alisha Lehmann at the top of the list of the top 10 Instagram influencers headed to the Women’s World Cup is not unexpected.
The midfielder’s Instagram following surpasses that of legendary Swiss sportsman Roger Federer.
Alisha Lehmann took time off for her mental health during Euro 2022. Alisha Lehmann has returned to play for Switzerland at a major competition, where she was instrumental in Aston Villa’s rise in the Women’s Super League last season.
2 Alexia Putellas: Barcelona/Spain
Followers: 2.9 million
Follower growth: 65%
Engagement rate: 12%
Average media value of branded posts: £88,853
Although Putellas has spent the better part of the past year nursing an ACL injury, she has amassed a large number of new Instagram followers.
The two-time Ballon d’Or winner in the midfield positions is likely relieved to be well in time for the Women’s World Cup.
Putellas will try to prove why everyone thinks she’s the best female football player right now.
3 Alex Morgan: San Diego Wave/USA
Followers: 10 million
Follower growth: 5%
Engagement rate: 1%
Average media value of branded posts: £43,752
Morgan is the second American on this list, and she’ll be participating in her fourth Women’s World Cup.
The forward has scored 121 goals in almost 200 international appearances. Morgan has been featured on such lists before; in 2019 and 2022, she was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People.
4 Jordyn Huitema: OL Reign/Canada
Followers: 1.6 million
Follower growth: -15%
Engagement rate: 10%
Average media value of branded posts: £59,836
Huitema is a promising young athlete who contributed to Canada’s Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medal victory.
The forward, who has been called the next Christine Sinclair, rose to stardom online during her time spent with Canadian and Bayern Munich player Alphonso Davies.
The couple, who used to regularly update their YouTube account with vlogs and videos, split up at the end of last year.
5 Marta: Orlando Pride/Brazil
Followers: 2.5 million
Follower growth: -1%
Engagement rate: 1%
Average media value of branded posts: £10,070
Even if Marta has lost some of her fans as of late, she will always be a legend in women’s football.
The Brazilian striker is set to compete in her sixth Women’s World Cup this summer, and she already holds the tournament record with 17 goals scored.
One of the greatest female soccer players of all time making the top 10 list of Instagram influencers is hardly a shock.
6 Megan Rapinoe: OL Reign/USA
Followers: 2.1 million
Follower growth: -3%
Engagement rate: 2%
Average media value of branded posts: £12,998
Despite a recent drop in support, Rapinoe will be among the most well-known players at this summer’s Women’s World Cup.
The winger has already won two World Cups and appeared in three. At the 2019 tournament, she won both the Golden Boot and Golden Ball, and she also managed to infuriate then-U.S. President Donald Trump.
Rapinoe has also been instrumental in getting the US women’s national team paid the same as the men’s team.
7 Jule Brand: Wolfsburg/Germany
Followers: 201,000
Follower growth: 517%
Engagement rate: 30%
Average media value of branded posts: £11,397
She has the best engagement rate of any of the top 10 brands on Instagram, and her follower count has grown faster than anyone else’s.
The multitalented athlete will be representing Germany at the Women’s World Cup this year. She was a standout for the team that finished second in the Bundesliga and the Champions League this season, Wolfsburg.
8 Alessia Russo: former Manchester United player/England
Followers: 464,000
Follower growth: 280%
Engagement rate: 15%
Average media value of branded posts: £17,766
Average media value of branded posts: £14,016
A crucial contributor to the Lionesses’ success at Euro 2022, Russo scored four goals in five appearances off the bench.
Her famous nutmeg goal in the semi-finals versus Sweden was a part of this.
Since the striker has opted to leave Manchester United after the season, she has become embroiled in one of the most publicized transfer sagas in women’s football. Her next stop is probably going to be at Arsenal.
9 Sakina Karchaoui: PSG/France.
Followers: 722,000
Follower growth: 27%
Engagement rate: 11%
Average media value of branded posts: £23,238
Karchaoui, formerly of Montpellier and Lyon, signed with Paris St. Germain that summer of 2021.
The left-back has been a regular for France since 2016, and she really came into her own at Euro 2022, where she had two assists and helped her team get to the semifinals. Karchaoui ended up being selected for the tournament all-star squad by UEFA.
10 Sam Kerr: Chelsea/Australia
Followers: 1.2 million
Follower growth: 30%
Engagement rate: 5%
Kerr, who will lead Australia as captain at the Women’s World Cup, currently has a record 63 goals for her country.
The Chelsea striker is one of the most recognizable figures in women’s football thanks to her trademark backflip celebrations and her appearance on the cover of FIFA 23 alongside Kylian Mbappe.
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