Cristiano Ronaldo has been named the most influential soccer player on Instagram of all the players competing in the 2022 World Cup. In fact, CR7's figure is more influential than Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappe.
Based on research conducted by Nielsen InfluenceScope, the ranking of influential footballers is obtained from the measurement of Nielsen's influencer, InfluencceScope.
By utilizing this platform, Nielsen is able to measure the number and growth of followers, engagement rates, and the average brand value of each post on Instagram to determine which players can provide the highest Social Media Value at a certain cost.
Cristiano Ronaldo has worked his way up the round skin professionally from club Sporting Lisbon, then Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and back again to Old Trafford. During those 20 years, said Nielsen, CR7 was able to double his Instagram followers or around 47 percent in the last year.
PSG's attacking trio of Messi, Neymar and Mbappe are behind Ronaldo with each with an average media value of over $1 million per post. Lionel Messi's media value is more than USD 2.6 million per post and his 358 million followers is in second place.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid and Brazil's Vinicius Junior's Instagram followers increased by 90% last season to become the highest growth in the ranking of the 10 most influential players in Nielsen's research.
Then, N'Golo Kante who has won prestigious titles starting from the 2018 World Cup, the Champions League and Premier League with his club Chelsea has the highest engagement rate with his followers in the Nielsen ranking, which is 11%. This French passport player is the only player who has played in the English Premier League to penetrate the top 10 of Nielsen's ranking.
In addition, there are also footballers Gavi (Barcelona/Spain), Rapinha (Barcelona/Brazil), Antony (Manchester United/Brazil), Rodrigo de Paul (Atletico Madrid/Argentina).
Turning to the national team competing in the 2022 World Cup, the most influential on social media is France, followed by Brazil and Portugal. All three countries, says Nielsen, have more than 10 million followers.
Furthermore, Nielsen, 64% of French fans are from other continents. The four French starters in Nielsen's top 10 most influential footballers (Mbappé, Benzema, Kanté and Paul Pogba) have increased the global reach of Les Bleus, but they still have less international appeal than other major European footballing nations.
As many as 86% of the fans who follow Portugal are from abroad. Portugal's 10.3 million followers on Instagram are more than the entire population of the country. Ronaldo's international appeal certainly played a part in the global popularity of the Portugal national team.
Other top European teams such as England, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands managed to attract fans from outside their country up to 70%. Like France and Portugal, these four teams have won or been in the finals of a World Cup or European Championship since 2010.
Furthermore, Nielsen, 64% of French fans are from other continents. The four French starters in Nielsen's top 10 most influential footballers (Mbappé, Benzema, Kanté and Paul Pogba) have increased the global reach of Les Bleus, but they still have less international appeal than other major European footballing nations.
As many as 86% of the fans who follow Portugal are from abroad. Portugal's 10.3 million followers on Instagram are more than the entire population of the country. Ronaldo's international appeal certainly played a part in the global popularity of the Portugal national team.
Other top European teams such as England, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands managed to attract fans from outside their country up to 70%. Like France and Portugal, these four teams have won or been in the finals of a World Cup or European Championship since 2010.