Erling Haaland, Vozinha gain most followers on Instagram during World Cup

Spain may have emerged victorious on the pitch after winning the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Sunday, but it was Norwegian striker Erling Haaland who captured the most attention on Instagram. Haaland topped the social media charts by gaining an impressive 32.1 million followers during the 39-day tournament, as reported by Sportico.

Haaland’s Tournament Performance

Throughout the event, Haaland demonstrated his goal-scoring prowess, netting seven goals, which placed him third in the tournament standings. He tied with Jude Bellingham, one goal shy of Lionel Messi and two behind the Golden Boot winner Kylian Mbappé. Haaland was instrumental in Norway’s journey to the quarterfinals, marking their first victory in World Cup knockout history.

Vozinha’s Unexpected Rise

In a surprising twist, Cape Verde goalie Vozinha claimed the second spot on the followers’ list. The 40-year-old goalkeeper gained 29.2 million followers largely due to his outstanding performance against Spain in the group stage. He saved seven shots and earned the man of the match title in a nail-biting 0-0 draw. Vozinha’s impressive display made him one of the tournament’s standout figures.

Bellingham rounded out the top three with 12 million new followers, while Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Spain’s Lamine Yamal followed closely, gaining 11.4 million and 11 million, respectively. Ronaldo retains the title of the most-followed athlete on Instagram, boasting 677 million followers.

Other notable gains included Neymar, who secured 7.7 million followers, and Messi, who acquired 7.5 million. Messi’s current follower count stands at 514 million, making him the second most followed athlete on the platform. The top ten also featured young talents like Mexico’s Gilberto Mora, who gained 6.6 million, France’s Michael Olise with 5.7 million, and Brazil’s Endrick, who rounded out the list with 5.6 million followers.