7 footballers with the most followers on Facebook
In modern times, football has naturally taken to the ever-growing influence of social media platforms like Facebook. Every major club and player now has a separate PR team, solely dedicated to improving their online persona. And leading conglomerates like Facebook have been the major flag bearers of this ongoing change.
Clubs with the most followers on Facebook
No football side has a bigger social media following than 34-time La Liga champions Real Madrid. Subsequently, they also lead the race on Facebook with more than 111 Million followers. Their Clasico rivals Barcelona come in a close second with 103 Million likes on their official Facebook page.
Clubs with the most social media followers in 2020.🤯
📸 @90min_Football https://t.co/xCRVSafQKw
The online duopoly of the two Spanish giants has reigned for ages and is expected to continue for many years to come. Manchester United are the closest threat to Real Madrid and Barcelona, with fans in excess of 74 Million letting their support known on Facebook. Bayern Munich, Chelsea and PSG comfortably trail the aforementioned European giants on the said platform.
However, with elevating commercialisation and leading brands targeting individual sports personalities rather than clubs, footballers have amassed a colossal reach on the internet. So much so that certain players have a much bigger and more dedicated fanbase on social media. On that note, let's take a look at the seven players with the most followers on Facebook:
#7 Kaka - 40.1 Million
The last person to have won the Ballon d'Or before Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi established their duopoly, Ricardo Kaka is a true legend of the game. The 39-year-old retired professional boasts a following of 40.1 million on Facebook.
Kaka is one of the few professionals to have hung up his boots with minimal haters. His humble personality and magisterial presence on the pitch made him extremely popular among fans all across the globe.
Widely known for his time at AC Milan, the Brazilian midfielder did experience a significant dip in form after a big-money move to Real Madrid. Regardless, he is still fondly remembered by the football fraternity.
#6 Karim Benzema - 40.8 Million
Karim Benzema has started the season in blazing form, accumulating an unfathomable tally of 10 goals and seven assists in just 10 games. It seems that the reliable striker has upped his level even further at the ripe old age of 33.
Following the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo in 2018, Benzema assumed the role of Real Madrid's leading man and has been absolutely sensational since. The talismanic figure has racked up a whopping 97 goals during the time.
The race for the European Golden Shoe 🏆
Benzema - 9️⃣ goals
Haaland - 7️⃣ goals
Lewandowski - 7️⃣ goals
Immobile - 6️⃣ goals
Dzeko - 6️⃣ goals
Schick - 6️⃣ goals
Vardy - 6️⃣ goals
Salah - 6️⃣ goals
Laborde - 6️⃣ goals https://t.co/o2VuGn40aY
Impressed by his consistent performances upfront, Didier Deschamps recalled him to the national setup, giving him his first French cap in over five years this summer. Understandably, Madrid's No.9 has a huge fanbase on Facebook with 40.8 million.
#5 Ronaldinho - 52 Million
Another retired player on the list, Ronaldinho's dribbling, is just as famous as that of Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi. Having mentored the latter during his Barcelona days, the Brazilian has as many as 52 million fans on his Facebook page.
An absolute footballing maestro, the talented midfielder has been a role model for many budding youngsters throughout the years. Videos of him dismantling opposition defenses with numerous flicks and tricks have inspired many.
𝐀𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬
🇧🇷🤙 @10Ronaldinho
#AtletiBarça https://t.co/CcuR9EJHsx
Despite his obvious talent, Ronaldinho lacked the longevity that many other legends possessed before him. He exited Europe at the early age of 31, departing AC Milan in 2011. Nevertheless, his legacy will always remain unparalleled.
Also read: 5 players PSG should sell in 2022