Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese football legend, has once again made history. Earlier this month, he became the first male footballer to score 900 career goals.
This week, the 39-year-old Al-Nassr forward achieved another groundbreaking milestone, becoming the first person to amass 1 billion followers across all major social media platforms.
EKO HOT BLOG reports that Ronaldo, who recently launched a new YouTube channel, celebrated this achievement with a live follower count stream leading up to his billionth followers.
His YouTube channel grew rapidly, reaching 15 million subscribers on its first day and 50 million within a week. It has now surpassed 60 million subscribers.
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In his celebration, Ronaldo said, “We’ve made history — 1 BILLION followers! This is more than just a number – it’s a testament to our shared passion, drive, and love for the game and beyond. From the streets of Madeira to the biggest stages in the world, I’ve always played for my family and for you, and now 1 billion of us stand together.
“You’ve been with me every step of the way, through all the highs and the lows. This journey is our journey, and together, we’ve shown that there are no limits to what we can achieve. Thank you for believing in me, for your support, and for being part of my life. The best is yet to come, and we’ll keep pushing, winning, and making history together.”
Most of Ronaldo’s social media following is on Instagram, where he has 639 million followers, representing about 8% of the global population. He also has 170.5 million followers on Facebook, 113 million on X (formerly Twitter), and just under 10 million across Chinese platforms Weibo and Kuaishou.
Ronaldo’s closest peer, Lionel Messi, has the only other social media account exceeding 500 million followers. Other prominent figures trailing Ronaldo include Selena Gomez, Kylie Jenner, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, with Instagram followings of 424 million, 397 million, and 395 million, respectively. Ronaldo’s Instagram following alone surpasses the combined total of all 2024 NBA All-Stars.
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This milestone comes as Ronaldo continues to expand his global presence. He is now in his third season with Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr following a lucrative 2023 deal, earning $215 million in salary alone. His endorsements have brought in $60 million over the past year, making him the fourth-highest-earning athlete off the field.
In total, Ronaldo’s earnings for 2023 reached $275 million, placing him just behind golfer Jon Rahm, who earned $203 million. His career earnings, adjusted for inflation, have hit $1.92 billion as of March, positioning him to join the exclusive club of athletes who have surpassed $2 billion by the end of the year, alongside Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods.
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