Lionel Messi is a mega influencer by social media standards, but he’s so far from being a typical “influencer” — even with 500 million Instagram followers at his fingertips.
“500 million, thanks for always being there,” Messi said March 1 after reaching the milestone.
Messi is the most followed person on Instagram living in the United States as the star of Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami.
Sure, Cristiano Ronaldo’s 623 million followers will be amused about Messi just catching up. They’re the two most followed people in the world, and the debate between them as soccer’s best player has fueled their following.
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But Messi’s rise to 500 million has coincided with momentum following his thrilling World Cup victory in December 2022 and his successful move to MLS and media partnership with Apple TV last summer, but it’s also inextricably linked to who he is as a person.
“Messi, if you go through his Instagram page it’s pictures of him and his kids, and the odd ad here or there, and the odd like, ‘I went out to dinner with David Beckham the other night,’ ” said Chris Wittyngham, soccer commentator for Apple TV and Paramount Plus. “He doesn’t try being this big, global personality. I think if it was up to him, he wouldn’t even have any of these things. He would just go and play soccer, and go home, hang out with his family, and that would be his life.
“The fact he’s still like this enormous figure, I think just shows what a transcendent player he is, because you can’t get enough of this human being, who is this unbelievable force to the sport.”
How impactful is Lionel Messi’s Instagram account?
The most-liked Instagram post in history is Messi hoisting the World Cup trophy after the legendary final between Argentina and France. It drew millions more followers, fueling his rise above Selena Gomez, Kylie Jenner, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, Ariana Grande…
