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Lionel Messi reaches 500 million followers on Instagram. Only one person has more.

safid deen, usa today
·2 min read
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Lionel Messi has achieved another milestone, this time on social media.

Messi, the 2022 World Cup champion and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner as the soccer’s best player, reached 500 million followers on Instagram this weekend.

Messi was already the third-most followed account on the social media platform, just behind Instagram and his most-heated soccer rival. He also owns the most-followed Instagram account of anyone living in the United States, as the star of Inter Miami’s MLS soccer team.

Instagram’s account has the most followers with 669 million. And Cristiano Ronaldo fans will relish the fact the Portugal footballer reigns supreme over Messi as the most followed person on Instagram with 662 million followers.

But here’s where Messi fans can trump Ronaldo fans again:

Messi owns the most-liked post in Instagram history with more than 75.5 million accounts liking Messi’s World Cup celebratory post after leading Argentina to the title in Qatar in December 2022.

Still, Messi is in rare air reaching the 500-million mark.

Messi and Inter Miami will play their second match of the 2024 MLS season on Sunday night against L.A. Galaxy, with the live stream available via MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

Argentina's captain and forward #10 Lionel Messi lifts the FIFA World Cup Trophy after Argentina won the Qatar 2022 World Cup final football match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium in Lusail, north of Doha on December 18, 2022.
Argentina's captain and forward #10 Lionel Messi lifts the FIFA World Cup Trophy after Argentina won the Qatar 2022 World Cup final football match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium in Lusail, north of Doha on December 18, 2022.

Who are the most-followed accounts on Instagram?

Here are the Top 10 most followed accounts on Instagram:

  1. Instagram: 669 million

  2. Cristiano Ronaldo: 662 million

  3. Lionel Messi: 500 million

  4. Selena Gomez: 429 million

  5. Kylie Jenner: 400 million

  6. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson: 397 million

  7. Ariana Grande: 380 million

  8. Kim Kardashian: 364 million

  9. Beyoncé: 320 million

  10. Khloe Kardashian: 310 million

Nike (306 million), Kendall Jenner (294 million), Justin Bieber (293 million), National Geographic (284 million) and Taylor Swift (281 million) round out the Top 15 most-followed Instagram accounts.

Who are the most-followed athletes on Instagram?

Here are five most popular athletes on Instagram:

Cristiano Ronaldo (soccer): 662 million

Lionel Messi (soccer): 500 million

Virat Kohli (cricket): 266 million

Neymar (soccer): 219 million

LeBron James (basketball): 159 million

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lionel Messi has 500 million Instagram followers: Who's Top 10 on IG?