The ongoing rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo continues to intensify not only on the football pitch but also beyond the confines of the playing field.
Considered the greatest footballer in history, Messi boasts an enormous fan base and exerts a pervasive influence across social media platforms. The Argentine star recently reached an impressive milestone of 500 million followers on Instagram.
Nevertheless, Messi still trails behind his greatest rival in terms of Instagram followers. Ronaldo, the current football sensation, commands a staggering 662 million followers on the platform.
It is noteworthy that Messi and Ronaldo are among the rare three accounts to have reached the 500 million follower mark on Instagram. The remaining account being Instagram itself with 669 million followers.
Despite lagging behind Ronaldo in follower count, Messi takes pride in owning a record-breaking post on Instagram. It is a celebratory image of his World Cup victory in December 2022, which garnered 75.5 million likes.
Recently, Messi has been nominated for the Laureus Award for the Best Male Athlete of the Year. This accolade was claimed by a player from Inter Miami in 2023, and Messi is the first footballer to win this prestigious award.
Since donning the Inter Miami jersey, Messi has scored 12 goals in 16 appearances. Ahead lies a momentous fixture in American soccer as Inter Miami takes on Orlando City on March 3rd.