Topline
Portuguese Soccer Star Cristiano Ronaldo continues to hold the title of most followed person on Instagram so far this year—boasting a total of 593 million followers.
Cristiano Ronaldo took the top spot for most Instagram followers and most-liked Instagram post so ... [+]
Key Facts
Ronaldo, 38, actively posts on Instagram and has gained more than 150 million followers since last May, according to Social Blade—a 34% increase.
Ronaldo—who holds the title of highest paid athlete in the world—plays for Saudi Arabian football club Al-Nassr on a $75 million annual contract including commercial agreements that could help the star net around $200 million each year.
Endorsements play a significant role in Ronaldo’s wealth and include companies like Herbalife, Armani and Tag Heuer.
Ronaldo overtook Selena Gomez for most followers on Instagram in 2018, when he had a mere 144 million followers.
Surprising Fact
Ronaldo also has the most-liked post so far this year with over 28 million likes, with images celebrating his transition to the Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr. Ronaldo—who wrote, “WOW!! What a reception”—posted images of himself alongside his family in his new yellow-and-blue uniform from his welcoming ceremony in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in January, including some photos of Ronaldo high-fiving fans as a full stadium looks on. A second post from Ronaldo featuring photos from Al-Nassr’s match against Paris Saint-Germain—including one image of Ronaldo embracing friend and rival Lionel Messi—is the second–most-liked post.
Tangent
The only athletes within Instagram’s 50 most followed people are soccer players. Ronaldo is one spot ahead of fellow legendary player Lionel Messi, who has more than 475 million followers. The only other athletes within the top 50 are French forward Kylian Mbappé (105 million followers) and David Beckham (80 million followers).
Big Number
$136 Million. That’s the amount of earnings Forbes estimates Ronaldo raked for the 2023 list of the world’s highest-paid athletes—a figure that earned him the list’s top spot.
What To Watch For
Ronaldo has hinted at owning his own soccer team after retiring from the sport. “It's something I thought about a few years back,” he said in an interview with reporters. “I probably would like to own a [football] club.”
Key Background
Ronaldo has been playing soccer professionally since 2002 and in that time, made nearly 1,200 appearances across all competitions and scored more than 800 goals. He has played in several leagues for teams such as Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus—securing the title of top goal scorer at Real Madrid, notching a total of 450 for the Spanish side. Ronaldo has also captured the Ballon d'Or, the most renowned individual award in all of soccer, a total of five times during his career—a number only beaten by Messi, who has captured the award seven times. In his last World Cup game with Portugal, which ended in defeat at the hands of Morocco, the star said his dream of winning a World Cup had “ended,” raising questions about his inevitable retirement that were answered this June. Ronaldo told reporters at an event for one of his business ventures that he had “two to three years, maximum.”
Further Reading
The World’s Highest-Paid Athletes (Forbes)
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Profile (Forbes)
