World Cup Stars See Massive Social Media Growth During Tournament

DALLAS, Texas (TXAN 24) — The 2026 FIFA World Cup is driving major social media growth for players across the globe, with Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha posting the tournament’s largest Instagram surge.

According to data from MyBettingSites.co.uk, Vozinha gained nearly 6.8 million followers between June 8 and June 16, increasing his audience by more than 21,500% after recording a clean sheet against Spain.

Brazilian stars Endrick and Neymar ranked second and third with gains of 1.46 million and 1.12 million followers respectively, despite neither appearing in Brazil’s opening 1-1 draw against Morocco.

Global icons Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi rounded out the top five, adding approximately 697,000 and 606,000 followers despite not yet playing in the tournament.

Mexico forward Julián Quiñones recorded one of the most significant percentage increases among top players, gaining 376,532 followers, a 38.8% jump, after scoring in Mexico’s 2-0 victory over South Africa.

The report estimates potential sponsored-post earnings using an industry benchmark of $10 per 1,000 followers. Under that model, Vozinha’s social media value has climbed dramatically, with estimated earnings approaching $68,000 per sponsored post.

Researchers tracked Instagram follower counts for players across all World Cup squads between June 8 and June 16. Thirty-two players without public Instagram accounts were excluded from the analysis.

Source: MyBettingSites.co.uk