Two of the greatest players in soccer history are Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who once competed head-to-head in Europe. Currently, Messi plays in the United States and Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia, and they have a huge following around the world on social media platforms, reflecting the impact of their popularity.
In 2025, Portuguese forward Ronaldo has the most social media followers in the world, followed by Argentina’s Messi.
Total Number of Followers on Ronaldo and Messi’s Social Media
The 41-year-old Ronaldo has a combined following of over 949 million on X (115 million), Instagram (663 million), and Facebook (171 million), proving his global popularity.
On the other hand, 38-year-old Messi has 622 million followers across Instagram (506 million) and Facebook (116 million), but he does not use the X (formerly Twitter) account. And Messi has never publicly said why he does not use it.
However, there is an official @TeamMessi account created by Adidas on X that showcases its brand partnership with the sportswear brand, according to Goal.com.
Messi is known for being a calm person, as well as being an excellent player. He posts pictures of himself playing or scoring goals on his Instagram and Facebook accounts and occasionally shares glimpses into the personal lives of his long-term partner Antonela and their three children.
In contrast, Ronaldo, who frequently uses Twitter and often posts game moments on his Instagram, is also known for sharing his personal life and luxurious lifestyle.
Each year, these two soccer stars earn significant money from sponsorships and brand endorsements, thanks to their huge followings on social media.
CNN reported in August 2023 that Ronaldo earns $3.23 million per Instagram sponsored post, while his rival Messi earns $2.6 million per post.
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