Top 10 Most Followed Football Players in the World in 2026 (Updated)
| | By FootGoal
Ever wondered which football players are the most followed on social media?
Probably, yes… so, I have exciting news for you…
Right now, we are going to present to you the top 10 most followed football players on social media in 2026.
Which football player has the most fans in the world?
The answer is Cristiano Ronaldo! Cristiano already has 1,044,648,000 followers on social media.
The Portuguese football legend keeps dominating social media, continuing to be the first sportsman to reach and pass the 1 billion level. Currently, in 2026, Cristiano has 1,044,648,000 followers on his social media accounts.
In 2nd place, we have another football legend, Argentinian Lionel Messi. Messi has 640,860,000 followers.
In 3rd place is Brazilian Neymar Jr. with more than 432 million followers.
Important Note: We have considered both current and recently retired football players, and their official social media accounts’ followers across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, YouTube, TikTok, and other platforms.
Top 10 Most Followed Football Players in the World
Now, let’s have a closer look at the list one by one!
1. Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo is the most followed football player in the world. He has 1,044,648,000 followers across his social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and others.
To break the numbers down:
- Cristiano Ronaldo Facebook: 171 Million Followers
- Cristiano Ronaldo Instagram: 671 Million Followers
- Cristiano Ronaldo Twitter: 105.6 Million Followers
- Cristiano Ronaldo YouTube: 78.1 Million Followers
- Other social media platforms: 18.948 Million Followers
- Total: 1.04 Billion Followers
2. Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi is 2nd in the list of the most followed football players in the world. He has 640,860,000 followers across his social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and others.
To break the numbers down:
- Lionel Messi Facebook: 116 Million Followers
- Lionel Messi Instagram: 511 Million Followers
- Lionel Messi YouTube: 4.42 Million Followers
- Other social media platforms: 9.44 Million Followers
- Total: 640.86 Million Followers
3. Neymar
Neymar Jr. is 3rd in the list of the most followed football players in the world. He has 432,965,000 followers across his social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, and others.
To break the numbers down:
- Neymar Facebook: 91 Million Followers
- Neymar Instagram: 233 Million Followers
- Neymar Twitter: 58.3 Million Followers
- Neymar YouTube: 5.48 Million Followers
- Neymar TikTok: 35.4 Million Followers
- Other social media platforms: 9.785 Million Followers
- Total: 432.97 Million Followers
4. Ronaldinho
Ronaldinho is 4th in our list. The Brazilian legend has 172,994,000 followers across his social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok.
To break the numbers down:
- Ronaldinho Facebook: 55 Million Followers
- Ronaldinho Instagram: 78.2 Million Followers
- Ronaldinho Twitter: 18.2 Million Followers
- Ronaldinho YouTube: 294,000 Followers
- Ronaldinho TikTok: 21.3 Million Followers
- Total: 172.99 Million Followers
5. Kylian Mbappé
Kylian Mbappé is the 5th most followed football player in the world, with 165,210,000 followers across his social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and others.
To break the numbers down:
- Kylian Mbappé Facebook: 18 Million Followers
- Kylian Mbappé Instagram: 130 Million Followers
- Kylian Mbappé Twitter: 15.2 Million Followers
- Kylian Mbappé YouTube: 1.37 Million Followers
- Other social media platforms: 640,000 Followers
- Total: 165.21 Million Followers
6. David Beckham
David Beckham is the 6th most followed football player in the world, with 153,000,000 followers across his social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
To break the numbers down:
- David Beckham Facebook: 57 Million Followers
- David Beckham Instagram: 88.5 Million Followers
- David Beckham TikTok: 7.5 Million Followers
- Total: 153 Million Followers
7. Sergio Ramos
Sergio Ramos is the 7th in the list, with 147,410,000 followers across his social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok.
To break the numbers down:
- Sergio Ramos Facebook: 39 Million Followers
- Sergio Ramos Instagram: 67.6 Million Followers
- Sergio Ramos Twitter: 18.8 Million Followers
- Sergio Ramos YouTube: 610,000 Followers
- Sergio Ramos TikTok: 21.4 Million Followers
- Total: 147.41 Million Followers
8. Karim Benzema
Karim Benzema is the 8th most followed football player in the world, with 140,684,000 followers across his social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
To break the numbers down:
- Karim Benzema Facebook: 44 Million Followers
- Karim Benzema Instagram: 75.3 Million Followers
- Karim Benzema Twitter: 20.8 Million Followers
- Karim Benzema YouTube: 584,000 Followers
- Total: 140.68 Million Followers
9. Marcelo
Marcelo is the 9th most followed football player in the world, with 123,384,000 followers across his social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, and others.
To break the numbers down:
- Marcelo Facebook: 27 Million Followers
- Marcelo Instagram: 68.5 Million Followers
- Marcelo Twitter: 11.6 Million Followers
- Marcelo YouTube: 1.21 Million Followers
- Marcelo TikTok: 15 Million Followers
- Other social media platforms: 74,000 Followers
- Total: 123.38 Million Followers
10. Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the 10th most followed football player in the world, with 123,200,000 followers across his social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.
To break the numbers down:
- Zlatan Ibrahimovic Facebook: 39 Million Followers
- Zlatan Ibrahimovic Instagram: 64 Million Followers
- Zlatan Ibrahimovic Twitter: 8.9 Million Followers
- Zlatan Ibrahimovic TikTok: 11.3 Million Followers
- Total: 123.2 Million Followers
Top 10 Most Followed Football Players in the World in 2026: Total Results
| Rank | Player | Total Followers |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cristiano Ronaldo | 1,044,648,000 |
| 2 | Lionel Messi | 640,860,000 |
| 3 | Neymar Jr | 432,965,000 |
| 4 | Ronaldinho | 172,994,000 |
| 5 | Kylian Mbappé | 165,210,000 |
| 6 | David Beckham | 153,000,000 |
| 7 | Sergio Ramos | 147,410,000 |
| 8 | Karim Benzema | 140,684,000 |
| 9 | Marcelo | 123,384,000 |
| 10 | Zlatan Ibrahimovic | 123,200,000 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which football player has the most followers in the world?
Cristiano Ronaldo is the most followed football player in the world with 1.04 billion followers across all social media platforms, making him the first athlete to surpass 1 billion followers.
How many followers does Cristiano Ronaldo have?
Cristiano Ronaldo has 1,044,648,000 (1.04 billion) followers across all social media platforms as of January 2026, including 671M on Instagram, 171M on Facebook, 105.6M on Twitter, and 78.1M on YouTube.
Who are the top 3 most followed football players?
The top 3 most followed football players in 2026 are: 1. Cristiano Ronaldo (1.04B followers), 2. Lionel Messi (640M followers), 3. Neymar Jr. (432M followers).
How many followers does Lionel Messi have?
Lionel Messi has 640,860,000 followers across all social media platforms as of January 2026, with his largest following on Instagram (511M followers).
Which football player has the most Instagram followers?
Cristiano Ronaldo has the most Instagram followers among football players with 671 million followers, followed by Lionel Messi with 511 million.
Conclusion
The top 10 most followed football players of 2026 show just how powerful social media has become in the world of sports. Cristiano Ronaldo tops the list with over 1 billion followers, followed by Lionel Messi and Neymar, who also command impressive numbers.
The list also includes legends like Ronaldinho, David Beckham, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, alongside current stars like Kylian Mbappé, Sergio Ramos, Karim Benzema, and Marcelo.
Social media has become an essential platform for football players to connect with their global fanbase, share their lives, and build their personal brands. These numbers demonstrate the massive influence these players have beyond the pitch.
Don’t forget to share this article with your friends, and let us know in the comments which football player you support!
Methodology
This ranking is based on official social media account follower counts across multiple platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, YouTube, TikTok, and other verified accounts. All data was collected and verified in January 2026.
References
- Official Facebook accounts of top football players
- Official Instagram accounts of top football players
- Official Twitter/X accounts of top football players
- Official YouTube accounts of top football players
- Official TikTok accounts of top football players
- Other official social media accounts of top football players