Cristiano Ronaldo alone has more Instagram followers than almost all the other World Cup players combined. And yet, this Instagram reach is only enough to put Portugal in seventh place. How is that possible?
Researchers at the HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management took a close look at all 48 participating nations in the 2026 World Cup. Not on the field, but on Instagram. They wanted to know: Which nation has the strongest online presence? To find out, the team analyzed 1,245 players, 48 national team coaches, and 48 soccer associations.
Not only soccer stars are strong online
“The digital strength of international soccer nations does not depend solely on individuals. What matters is how broadly the reach is distributed across players, coaches, and the national association,” explains study leader Prof. Dr. Henning Zülch. “Social media is as much a part of international soccer as stadiums and TV cameras,” he adds.
Instagram popularity and athletic success do not always go hand in hand. Morocco, Egypt, and Colombia rank higher than many traditionally strong soccer nations. The researchers attribute this to large international fan bases and a strong cultural connection to the respective team.
In total, the HHL team analyzed 1,341 individuals – players, coaches, and associations. Ninety-four percent of them are active on Instagram. An interesting side note: National team coaches with their own accounts are, on average, five years younger than their colleagues without one.
Germany scores with team strength
Germany ranks third in terms of Instagram reach, making it the strongest European nation in the ranking. Unlike many of its competitors, the DFB team’s visibility does not depend on a single superstar but is spread across several players.
With 14.6 million followers, Manuel Neuer is the German national team player with the widest reach, but he accounts for only about 20 percent of the squad’s total reach.
The full study by HHL Leipzig has been published under the title "Social Media World Champions 2026: Samba, Superstars, and the Power of Millions of Followers".
