Football is one of the most played sports in the world, and footballers are undoubtedly amongst the most-famous sportsmen worldwide.
The players have gathered a large fanbase with their talent and level of success, and are even idolized by some fans.
While we love watching footballers on the field showing off their skills, they also want to engage with them on a more personal level.
Footballers use social media to get closer to their fans, share their influence for brands sponsoring and endorsing them, resulting in extra earnings for them.
Instagram is a great platform to see or view behind the scenes or backstage stories of our favorite footballers, and we look at the top 10 most followed footballers in the world.
From family moments to new haircuts, workouts, parties, pranks, and highlights, Instagram proves fans with insights into the life of their favorite footballer players.
Below are the top 10 most followed football players on Instagram.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo: 236 Million Followers
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the most famous footballers in football history. He has won 5 Ballon d’Or trophies, one of the most prestigious awards in the football world.
In 2018, the Portugal international moved to Juventus from Real Madrid in a transfer deal worth €100 million, the highest fee ever paid by an Italian club and for a player over 30 years of age.
While Ronaldo is one of the most-popular footballers out there, he is also one of the most influential and most-followed athletes on social media.
Ronaldo is the most followed footballer on Instagram with a whopping 236 million Instagram followers.
He took the shortest time to reach 100 million followers on Instagram while he also has over 100 and 200 million followers on Facebook.
The 35-year-old Portuguese star posts everything from post-game highlights, to his workouts and life family, as they go on vacations and trips.
Ronaldo reportedly makes $47.8 million from Instagram, which is more than his annual football salary ($34 million).
The Juventus star has also secured countless endorsements with brands like Konami, KFC, Tag Heuer, Armani, Coca Cola, and many more.
2. Lionel Messi: 163 Million Followers
Lionel Messi is often regarded as one of the greatest to ever play the game, just like arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo.
Individually, Messi has 6 Ballon d’Or trophies and a record 6 European Golden Shoes to his name.
The Barcelona icon has 163 million followers on Instagram, as he often shares family photos with his wife and three kids, training sessions, and adverts for endorses companies.
Messi has a lifetime contract with Adidas and sponsorship deal with Pepsi, Gatorade, Huawei, and MasterCard, to name a few.
The 33-year-old has reportedly earned a total of $35 million from endorsements.
3. Neymar Jr: 140 Million Followers
Neymar Jr. is a Brazilian footballer who plays as a forward for French club Parian Saint-Germain.
In 2017, Neymar moved from Barcelona to PSG in a £263million deal, making him the most expensive player ever.
Off the pitch, Neymar is one of the most followed players on social media. He has a total of 140 million followers on Instagram as he shows off training sessions, vacations, and his superstar lifestyle.
He is endorsed to Nike, Red Bull, Mastercard, to name a few, and has earned around $30 million from them.
4. James Rodríguez: 45.9 Million Followers
James Rodriguez is a Colombian professional footballer who plays for Spanish club Real Madrid.
He was awarded the Golden Boot as the top goal scorer of the FIFA 2014 World Cup, before joining Real Madrid that summer.
From selfies, workouts, to game highlights and family photos, James makes sure to keep 45.9 million followers entertained.
The Colombian native has worked with brands like Hugo Boss, Pepsi, Gatorade, Adidas, and Huawei.
He has reportedly earned over $4 million from endorsements and sponsorships.
5. Marcelo: 45.1 Million Followers
Marcelo Vieira da Silva Júnior, or more commonly known as Marcelo, is a Brazilian national who plays a left-back for Spanish club Real Madrid.
He has won four UEFA Champions League titles with Madrid while internationally,
His skills and talent have fetched him almost 46 million followers as he ranks fifth on the list with 45.1 million followers. He mostly shares family photos and videos, alongside Real Madrid’s training sessions.
He has an exclusive endorsement deal with Adidas and also has a personal investment of around $8.1 million in different businesses.
6. Zlatan Ibrahimović: 43.8 Million Followers
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one of the most famous and marketable footballers in world football.
He has played for some of the biggest clubs across Europe, including Juventus, Barcelona, PSG, Manchester United, and A.C. Milan.
On Instagram, the 38-year-old is followed by 43.8 million people, making him the sixth most followed footballer.
He is famously considered the god of soccer by most of his fanbase and football fans alike.
Ibrahimovic has a plethora of sponsorship deals and endorsements, including Volvo, Nivea, Vitamin Well Sports, and Microsoft Xbox.
7. Gareth Bale: 43.1 Million Followers
Seventh on the list is Welsh professional footballer, Gareth Bale, who plays as a winger for Spanish club Real Madrid.
He joined Real Madrid in 2013 and has lifted the UEFA Champions League on three occasions.
The Wales international has 43.1million followers on Instagram and has sponsorship deals and endorsement with Adidas, Konami, Foot Locker, and Nissan Motors.
If he’s not posting pictures about football, Bale often uploads photos and videos of himself playing golf, as he is a lover of the sport.
8. Kylian Mbappe: 42.4 Million Followers
Mbappe joined PSG on 31 August 2017 from Monaco for a fee of around €145 million, plus €35 million in add-ons, making him the most expensive teenager ever.
As a very famous young football player, Mbappe skills and footballing expertise have earned him a whopping 42.4 million followers, as he sits eight on the list.
Mbappe’s photos receive average millions of likes and thousands of comments as the number of his Instagram followers continues to rise daily.
His net worth is reportedly valued at $110 million, and In 2019, Forbes reported that Mbappe earned about $30 million in salary.
Kylian Mbappe has a major endorsement deal with Nike worth up to €3 million.
9. Paul Pogba: 41.5 Million Followers
Pogba is a French international midfielder who plays for English Premier side Manchester United.
After helping Juventus to four consecutive Serie A titles, he moved to Manchester United for a club-record €105 million.
Pogba ranks ninth on the list of most followed footballers on Instagram, with 41.5 million users following the Frenchman.
He is one of the most flashy and luxurious footballers in the world, and he is famous for his dance moves and stylish haircuts.
Internationally, Pogba was part of the French squad that won the World Cup in 2018, as he scored a goal in their victory over Croatia.
He makes $4 million from endorsements, with Adidas being his biggest sponsor. He signed him a deal with them that offers him $31 million over ten years.
10. Sergio Ramos: 40.3 Million Followers
At number 10 on the list of top 10 most followed footballers on Instagram, we have none other than Sergio Ramos.
He is the captain of the Spanish national football team and also captains the Real Madrid Football Club. He is one of the most prestigious footballers in Europe and has a net worth of approximately $65 million.
The Real Madrid captain has been a force to reckon with both on and off the pitch, and even on social media.
On Instagram, the Spain international is followed by over 40 million users as he shows us his heavily tattooed body, training sessions, workouts, and individual highlights.
He is an ambassador of various global brands including Nike, Hugo Boss, Pepsi, and Gatorade.
This wraps up the list of the Top 10 Most Followed Footballers on Instagram. Don’t forget to follow Futballnews on Instagram.
