Top 10 most popular athletes on Instagram

Cristiano Ronaldo, Lebron James and Messi are among some of the most followed athletes on Instagram.

For many years, sports stars have been some of the most popular people on earth. Because of the impact they have on millions of people, sports stars have always rivalled Hollywood celebrities and musicians in terms of popularity. 

There was a time Mike Tyson was just as popular as the most popular person in the world in the 90s. Aside from Tyson, there were also Michael Jordan and Ronaldo, who were also both popular at their peak. 

This has been the trend for ages, and it has not changed. In fact, athletes are now more popular than ever, thanks to the advent of technology. 

Athletes can now connect with their fans thanks to social media, making it easy to measure the popularity of a sports star. 

Instagram is one of the social media apps, which is why we are taking a look at the top ten athletes (both active and retired) on the app as of the time of writing. 

Please note that this list only features players- past and present- who played professional sports.

This means someone like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who is a popular wrestler in the WWE, is not on the list despite having almost 400 million followers on IG. 

With that said, let us take a look at the top ten most followed athletes on Instagram. 

10. Marcelo- 68 million followers 

In tenth place is Marcelo, who has over 68 million followers on Instagram as of the time of writing this article. 

The 37-year-old’s place on the list is quite surprising because while he is arguably one of the greatest left-backs to play the game, Marcelo is not a football superstar. 

However, given that he spent most of his time at Madrid and also played for Brazil before retiring this year, Marcelo probably has a large number of South American and Spanish followers. 

9. Karim Benzema- 75 million followers

Al-Ittihad star Karim Benzema is in ninth position with over 75 million followers. While Benzema has a host of Arab fans following him on Instagram, he built his reputation and profile at Real Madrid. 

The former France international joined Los Blancos from Lyon in 2009, going on to win five Champions League titles at the club. He also won four LaLiga titles, and he is the fourth all-time top scorer in the Spanish top flight. 

8. Ronaldinho- 77 million followers 

He might be retired, but Ronaldinho is more popular than ever. The Brazilian has over 77 million followers on Instagram, which is proof of his popularity among football fans, even though he is retired. 

The 45-year-old entertained fans with his dribbling skills and genius on the football pitch during his playing days. 

He is one of the most gifted players to ever play the game, and he played it with a smile on his face. He is popular amongst Barcelona fans as he played his best football at the club. Ronaldinho also represented Brazil at the international level, winning the World Cup in 2022. 

7. David Beckham- 88 million followers 

Beckham is arguably the first footballer turned global celebrity. He was not just popular among football fans, he was also a ladies' man. 

Beckham played for a host of clubs during his career, including Manchester United, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan. 

However, it was his move to the Los Angeles Galaxy that catapulted his global stardom. He became the face of the MLS and was the first high-profile footballer to move from Europe to the States. 

Following his retirement, Beckham stayed within the football circle before using his influence to buy Inter Miami, which currently has a certain Lionel Messi on its roster. 

Aside from his football ability, the former England captain was/is also known for his fine looks and impeccable fashion sense. 

6. Kylian Mbappe- 123 million followers 

In sixth place is Mbappe, who is arguably the most popular footballer amongst the next generation of stars. 

The France international already has an incredible resume that includes a World Cup and multiple Ligue 1 titles. 

With Mbappe now in his peak years, his profile is expected to continue to rise, especially now that he plays for the biggest club in the world. 

5. Lebron James- 159 million followers 

Lebron James is one of the two non-footballers on this list. The Los Angeles Lakers star has been one of the most popular basketball players in the world since he was drafted in 2023. 

Now in his 22nd year and about to enter his 23rd year, Lebron remains as popular as ever, and he is still the most popular basketball star in the world. 

4. Neymar Jr.- 229 million followers 

It was believed that Neymar would be the one to take over the throne from Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, but he did not. 

However, the Brazilian still made his mark, although his peak years are now behind him. Neymar remains one of football’s most popular stars with an astonishing 229 million followers on Instagram. 

Like Ronaldinho, he also entertained fans with his skills on the pitch. He also has an incredible resume, which includes multiple LaLiga and Ligue 1 titles and a Champions League title. 

3. Virat Kohli- 272 million followers  

Kohli being on this list with 272 million followers shows that Indians do not joke about their stars. The Indian cricketer is one of the greatest players to play the game of cricket. He has a massive fan base among the cricket community, especially in India. 

2. Lionel Messi- 505 million followers 

Admit it, you were expecting his name to be either number one or two. Messi sits in second place with over 500 million followers. 

He is just one of two people with 500 million followers on Instagram. There is nothing much to say about the Inter Miami star other than he is arguably the greatest player to play the game of football. 

No player in the history of the beautiful game has a better resume than the former Barcelona man. He has a strong army from South America and Spain, but he now has a legion of American fans following his move to Inter Miami. 

1. Cristiano Ronaldo- 653 million followers 

If Messi is number two, you already know that Ronaldo is number one. The two were rivals on the pitch for over 15 years. 

While you can say that Messi won the battle as his accolades stack better, Ronaldo is the king on Instagram. 

The Al-Nassr is the most followed human on Instagram with 653 followers and counting. Only the official Instagram account has more followers than Ronaldo.