Luckily, we’re not at a moment in time when we judge sports stars on how many followers they have. The transition from footballer to influencer hasn’t been a case of footballers caring more about social media (usually). It is what is on the pitch that counts.
Messi and Ronaldo are icons and both set elite levels for the sport, and they have been compared in pretty much every way imaginable. In this guide, though, we’re comparing them in terms of numbers on social media. Clout is what some people call it. Does Messi or Ronaldo have a bigger reach?
Why Does it Matter?
People with huge followings have a huge level of influence. I guess that’s why the term “influencer” is used so commonly now!
In some senses, it is just a form of entertainment to see what the top sports stars are up to in their spare time and explore their hobbies. People have learned through a combination of social media and the press that Cristiano Ronaldo has certain hobbies. The Portuguese star is never shy in coming forward with social media posts.
People have learned that he is into cryptocurrencies and has been involved with both NFT and crypto launches. He has used his platforms to promote certain businesses in this space.
Casino gambling is known to be a hobby of Cristiano’s. Some people speculate on whether he combines his interest in cryptocurrencies and gambling has led him to crypto casino games. Ronaldo has played games such as blackjack in casinos before in his downtime and while living the life of one of the sport’s biggest stars. Blackjack is a game with an element of strategy and we know top sports stars to be constantly exploring strategies and putting their brain into action. Many footballers play some form of casino games as entertainment forms outside of the game.
On top of this, Ronaldo has also stated he’s a fan of fishing. This is a surprisingly common sporting hobby as it is a way to unwind, but Cristiano’s competitive nature probably shows itself. I wonder if he’d choose to undertake the sixty-second challenge to catch a fish!
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Messi has also revealed hobbies online including a love of esports and games. Messi has even been involved with an Argentinian esports team. These are things that the fans may not know without social media.
It also makes players powerhouses when it comes to working with brands. Influencers can make a living just out of recommending products or helping spread the word about a service or event. In Ronaldo’s case, his massive following allows him to command top money for endorsements, making him one of the highest-paid athletes in the world, both on and off the field. His ability to drive consumer behavior through his posts is a major asset for any brand looking to boost its visibility (there are rules about promoted posts on social media though).
Who Has The Bigger Following?
Social media stats are changing by the day. On the level of hundreds of millions of followers, there are a lot of people following and unfollowing by the day. Messi has over 500 million followers online while Ronaldo has over 600 million. So, the Portuguese star just about pips his footballing rival to the post here. Some people have said Ronaldo lives a more lavish lifestyle so this could have made a difference. More likely, Ronaldo has more followers because he uses social media a bit more.
500 million is an unbelievable level. It is more than names like Selena Gomez and Kim Kardashian. In fact, Messi and Ronaldo have more Insta followers than any other original account!
Sports fans won’t be impressed necessarily. On the list of records of Messi and Ronaldo the number of followers they have is quite low on the priorities. While Ronaldo comes out on top, Messi could have something of a “last laugh” as he has the most liked post.
His post upon winning the World Cup in 2022 has got over 80 million likes which is something Ronaldo has never achieved. For context, that is more than the whole population of the UK. A World Cup eluded Ronaldo throughout his career and it is unlikely he will get to play in another, but Messi’s post after taking home the trophy is Instagram folklore.
Conclusion
Messi and Ronaldo’s debates aren’t often about social media followers. Usually, people are talking about who was the more accomplished footballer! It is definitely a relevant comparison and as both of their careers come to a close, social media will be the way people keep track of these stars once they finish. Whether they go into management or decide to just focus on the hobbies we’ve mentioned in this guide remains to be seen, but Instagram and other social networks will be a way to monitor the two GOATs.