Messi Rules Football in 2024 With More Fans Globally Than Ronaldo

ByJames Dorn Last Update on

As a passionate football fan who loves analyzing everything from playstyles to fan reactions, all signs in 2024 point to Lionel Messi overtaking Cristiano Ronaldo as the global game‘s most popular player.

While Ronaldo still holds more total social media followers, a deeper analysis shows Messi winning over more fans thanks to his magical play, landmark World Cup victory, and status now as football‘s undisputed GOAT.

Let‘s compare the data and fan sentiment shaping their popularity worldwide:

Social Followers: Ronaldo Leads on Instagram

Firstly, Ronaldo remains football‘s social media king in terms of pure followers:

PlayerInstagram FollowersFacebook LikesTwitter Followers
Lionel Messi438 million139 million103 million
Cristiano Ronaldo557 million150 million108 million

As these 2023 figures show, Ronaldo edges out Messi significantly on Instagram. However, these numbers don‘t necessarily reflect true popularity and fan engagement across wider spheres.

Wider Fan Favorability: Messi More Popular in Key Markets

When analyzing favorability surveys and online fan sentiment data for 2022 & 2023, Messi appears more popular worldwide:

messi-vs-ronaldo-favorability-ratings

As this data compiled in 2022 shows, Messi had a 76% favorability rating in Brazil compared to 66% for Ronaldo. Messi also won on popularity in Argentina, UK, Mexico and more regions.

Key reasons likely include his playstyle and achievements with both Barcelona and the Argentine national team. As a passionate observer myself, I admire how Messi can bend matches to his will in ways even Ronaldo struggles to match currently.

World Cup Victory Catalyzes Messi‘s Global Support

However, the biggest influence cementing Messi‘s status as football‘s current king is his heroic 2022 World Cup triumph with Argentina.

This landmark victory, achieved in dramatic style over France in the final, elevated Messi to undisputed GOAT status in many fans‘ eyes.

No moment encapsulated this more than his emotional post-match celebrations:

messi-celebrating-world-cup-win

For context, Argentina had not won football‘s ultimate prize since the days of the great Diego Maradona. This long-awaited success, powered by Messi‘s 7 goals and iconic moments, injected new levels of adoration from fans globally.

Ultimately for 2023 at least, Messi has overtaken his long-time rival in worldwide supporter count and sentiment measurements. However with these 2 titans of the modern game, anything remains possible in future World Cup and league campaigns ahead.

James K. Dorn, a passionate gamer deeply immersed in the world of video gaming. My journey in gaming is not just about playing; it's about exploring every facet of the games I love. I am particularly fascinated by the intricate worlds of role-playing games like "The Witcher" series and "Elder Scrolls: Skyrim," where every decision shapes the story.

As a strategy game enthusiast, I spend hours devising tactics in games like "Civilization VI" and "StarCraft II," always eager to share my strategies with fellow gamers. I'm also an ardent follower of the ever-evolving landscape of indie games, finding gems like "Hollow Knight" and "Celeste" that offer unique, compelling experiences.

My content isn't just reviews; it's about deep dives into game mechanics, storytelling, and the art of game design. I love dissecting the narratives of games like "The Last of Us" and discussing the innovative gameplay of titles like "Death Stranding."

Being at the forefront of gaming news, I eagerly anticipate and share insights on upcoming releases like the next big open-world adventure or the latest in the "Final Fantasy" series. My goal is to build a community where we not only play games but also appreciate the artistry and effort behind them. Join me in this gaming journey, where every session is an adventure, and every game is a story waiting to be told.

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