Messi Named In Top Three Most Popular Footballers on the Planet

Paulo Dybala makes top 10 most followed players at the Qatar 2022 World Cup

Lionel Messi joins Neymar and Ronaldo on the podium of the three most popular footballers on the planet at World Cup 2022.

Argentina and PSG superstar striker Lionel Messi’s global following of 476 million demonstrates his incredible global popularity and influence.

As well as being one of, and for many the greatest footballers in history, he is also the biggest Argentinian media company and one of the biggest media companies in the world.

To put this into perspective, Messi reaches over ten times the population of Argentina (45.8 million) just from touching his phone or tablet. Messi’s reach is 300 million greater than the combined populations of all the countries he was worked in as a player Argentina (45.8 million), Spain (47.3 million) and France (67.5 million). Total: 160.6 million).

Messi’s following is bigger than the entire population of the continent of South America (439M).

Messi’s Argentinian teammate, Paulo Dybala (68.9 million) also makes the top 10 coming in as the 8th most popular players on the planet at the 2022 World Cup.

Ronaldo has celebrated his first World Cup victory before a ball has been kicked in Qatar after being named the competition’s most influential superstar on social media with 747.1 million followers.

Portugal and Manchester United’s Ronaldo was confirmed as the most followed player at the World Cup across the media of Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, recording an amazing 747.1 million followers across the platforms. Making up the top three are global superstars, Argentina Captain Messi (476 million) and Brazil playmaker Neymar (337.5 million), giving the three players a combined social media reach of well in excess of one billion globally.

To put this into perspective, Ronaldo’s following is more than 4.5 times larger than the combined following of the England squad (164 million). Bigger than the population of all the countries he has played in put together, England (55.9 million), Italy (59 million), Spain (47.3 million) and Portugal (10.1 million): total: 172.3 million.

You would have to fill England’s Wembley Stadium’s 90,000 capacity over 8,000 times to reach close to the number of people who follow Ronaldo on social media. Or Qatar’s 80,000 capacity World Cup Final Stadium the Lusail Stadium, over 9,000 times. Or his current home, Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium’s capacity 74,310, over 10,000 times. Or Sporting Clube de Portugal ’s Estádio José Alvalade (50,095) over 14,000 times.

His social media following amounts to more than the entire population of Europe (446.8 million).

Ronaldo’s total audience helps make Portugal the most followed squad at the 2022 World Cup with a total of 826 million followed in second place by Brazil’s squad of 678 million and Argentina’s 619 million.

Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale, Kylian Mbappe, Luis Suarez, Paulo Dybala, Antoine Griezmann, and Robert Lewandowski make the rest of the Top 10 Players. The sum of the total followers of the Top 10 players, 2.15 billion, is greater than the sum of the total followers for the rest of the players at the 2022 Qatar World Cup combined (1.76 billion). The table below shows the total audience for the Top 10 Players:

In the Argentina squad Messi is followed by compatriots Paulo Dybala (69 million) and Angel Di Maria (28.7 million) with the combined 26-man Argentina squad boasting an audience of 618 million. The top ten most followed players in the Argentina squad are detailed below.

Argentina Top Ten Players by Social Media Audience

This research was conducted by the public relations, digital and football agency PMPR Excellence to analyse the global social media influence at the World Cup. Players from all 32 finalists, 831 players, have been studied and the PMPR Football Social Influencer Tables mapping player, squad and national association reach can be found at: www.prexcellence.com/football-social-influencer-tables

PMPR Social Media Editor & PMPR Excellence Marketing Director Barry Thomson comments:

“The collective media power, projection and influence of the World Cup’s 831 footballers is over 3.9 Billion almost half of the entire population of the world (8 Billion). Ronaldo is undoubtedly the social media King of Kings of global social media influence.”

Publisher of the PMPR Social Media Influence Tables and Director of PMPR Excellence Peter McLean comments:

“Messi’s global popularity and influence is remarkable. As well as being one of the world’s greatest footballers in history, he is also the biggest Argentinian media company and one of the biggest media companies in the world, able to reach hundreds of millions of people from his social media channels. To put this into perspective, Messi reaches over ten times the population of Argentina (45.8M) just from touching his phone or tablet. Messi’s reach is 300M greater than the combined populations of all the countries he was worked in as a player Argentina (45.8), Spain (47.3M) and France (67.5M) Total: 160.6M. Messi’s following is bigger than the continent of South America (439M).
“Cristiano Ronaldo, is simply, the most popular human being on the planet.
Ronaldo, at the touch of his phone or tablet, reaches 747 million followers. It is astonishing and highlights the global reach and influence of individual football personalities. To put this into perspective, Ronaldo’s following is more than the entire population of Europe (446.8M).
To put this into perspective, Ronaldo’s following is more than 4.5 times larger than the combined following of the England squad (164 million). Bigger than the population of all the countries he has played in put together, England (55.9 million), Italy (59 million), Spain (47.3 million) and Portugal (10.1 million): total: 172.3 million.
You would have to fill England’s Wembley Stadium’s 90,000 capacity over 8,000 times to reach close to the number of people who follow Ronaldo on social media. Or Qatar’s 80,000 capacity World Cup Final Stadium the Lusail Stadium, over 9,000 times. Or his current home, Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium’s capacity 74.310, over 10,000 times. Or Sporting Clube de Portugal ’s Estádio José Alvalade (50,095) over 14,000 times.
Ronaldo’s total reach helps make Portugal the most followed squad at the 2022 World Cup with a total of 826M followed in second place by Brazil’s squad of 678M and third place Argentina’s 619M.
Ronaldo’s following is more than the entire population of Europe (446.8M).
It is clear players like Ronaldo, Messi and Neymar are now among the largest media companies in the world. And, have the social influence and commercial value that accompanies that power.
‘As someone once said: ‘with great power comes great responsibility’.’
‘I would like to thank, for their incredible, patient and diligent work, the PMPR team of: Editor Barry Thomson and Global Editors and Analysts Conner McCoy, Ross MacIver, Deborah Pantoja and Dave Scott. And global PMPR publishing team: Pedram Ardalani, Daniel Avellaneda, Rafael Bullara, Osterne Feitosa and Norsat Mirzai.”

To read the full social media analysis of World Cup 2022 view the Global Summary or use the links below:

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For more information please contact:

In English Barry Thomson barry@prexcellence.com +44-771-700-6408

In English & Portuguese Peter McLean peter@prexcellence.com +44-774-037-1909

Notes to editors:

Disclaimer. PMPR has sought to make every reasonable effort to ensure that the data and analysis is correct. All data was collected on 1st-15th November 2022 and provides a snapshot at that time. Please send any corrections or updates to digital@prexcellence.com. It should be noted that people can of course follow multiple players and clubs across multiple channels, so this analysis measures total audience rather than unique followers. Some players do not have any social media accounts or have chosen not to have publicly visible profiles. Naturally reach is only one metric of influence.

The Football Social Influencer Tables concept remain the exclusive property of PMPR Excellence Ltd. If publishing extracts please credit the PMPR Football Social Influencer Tables and mention our website www.prexcellence.com/football-social-influencer-tables

About PMPR: Established in the year 2000, PMPR operates locally, nationally and globally, successfully carrying out communication and negotiation in every continent and over 200 countries, helping to take messages and sports people successfully around the planet.PMPR has worked with many of the world’s biggest business, entertainment, broadcasting and sports personalities: from world football icons Pelé, Ronaldinho and Kaká, global music superstars such as Rod Stewart, film and television personalities such as Emmy Award winning actress Archie Panjabi and has conducted the PR Management for major Music events involving artists such as Beyoncé and Coldplay.The PMPR Marketing and Public Relations Division has experience of representing and being the choice of the biggest media companies in the world, including Disney’s ESPN - the world’s largest sports broadcaster. PMPR specialises in sponsorship activation and creating and delivering persuasive communications that help shape opinion and behaviour locally, nationally and around the world.The PMPR Global Football Division has represented International football players and clubs in the English Premier League and across the world and has negotiated and achieved for its clients record breaking contracts at English Premier League clubs. PMPR has direct access to key decision makers across the Big 5 European Leagues (EPL - England, Bundesliga - Germany, La Liga - Spain, Ligue 1 - France and Serie A - Italy), Brazil, China and around the world.