Ronaldo and Messi miss three Instagram follower gains after World Cup

The 2026 FIFA World Cup set numerous records, including a surge in social media activity among its stars. While Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi both saw their Instagram follower counts rise after the tournament, they fell outside the top three in terms of percentage growth.

Players such as Kylian Mbappé led the leaderboard with the most significant gains. Nevertheless, Ronaldo and Messi remain among the most followed athletes worldwide, maintaining strong engagement across the platform.