The 20 Most Popular Soccer Players In The World, Ranked
Soccer has long been the planet’s most popular sport by some margin. That’s reflected in the enormous social media followings that its star players have amassed in recent years. In fact, so vast is the sport’s appeal that soccer players now don’t just rank among the most-followed athletes in the world; today, they’re also among the most popular celebrities of any kind, with some raking in more cash online than even the likes of Beyoncé, Dua Lipa, and Kevin Hart. Here we rank these stars by Instagram followers — but will it be one of eternal rivals Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo who emerges victorious?
20. Thiago Silva
Silva’s an elegant but tough center-back who grew up in poverty in Brazil on the edge of one of Rio’s notorious favela districts. Unsuccessful spells in Europe during his early 20s in Portugal and Russia were cut short by a near-death experience with tuberculosis. After considering retirement, he revived his career with hometown club Fluminense. His fine displays there earned him a move to Italian giants A.C. Milan, where he won the Serie A championship. He was then bought by Paris Saint-Germain, newly enriched by Qatari billions, for some $54 million (€42 million). It was a deal that made him the most expensive defender of all time.
Instagram followers: 20 million
Silva certainly isn’t afraid to use his Instagram feed to express some pointed opinions. For example, this season he’s already noted his affection for his outgoing manager Thomas Tuchel, who was controversially dismissed by Chelsea in September 2022. And following referee Anthony Taylor’s unpopular performance during Chelsea’s early-season clash with London rivals Spurs, Silva also showed his support for a post that simply stated, “He cannot be a referee any longer.” Silva will captain Brazil again in the Qatar World Cup in late 2022 — a tournament that his side are the favorites to win.
19. Mesut Özil
Undoubtedly a joy to behold at his wonderful best, this son of Turkish immigrants began his career in his native Germany before stepping up to the big time with a move to Real Madrid. There, Özil was beloved by the fans but seemingly not by the club’s management. The play-maker then joined Arsenal in 2013, where he initially became the star of the team. Nevertheless, he’d developed into a borderline hate-figure among fans by the time that he left the club eight years later.
Instagram followers: 24 million
Özil’s close association with the divisive Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been controversial. Indeed, the politician was actually the best man at the soccer star’s 2019 wedding. The furore began when Özil was photographed alongside Erdoğan in 2018 in a photo op that attracted a lot of media comment. Özil then received much of the blame for Germany’s disastrous showing in the World Cup later that year, which led to him retiring from the national team while accusing his critics of hypocrisy and racism. He’s been playing in Turkey since January 2021, first for Fenerbahçe and then for İstanbul Başakşehir — a club with very strong links to Erdoğan.
