Haaland, Vozinha, and Lamine Yamal: The Soccer Players Whose Instagram Followings Grew the Most Instagram the 2026 World Cup

Haaland, Vozinha, and Lamine Yamal were the soccer players whose Instagram saw the greatest increase in value Instagram the 2026 World Cup. This is according to a report by Francesc Pujol, a professor at the University of Navarra, who tracked the evolution on this network of the more than 1,200 soccer players in the tournament and their relationship with athletic performance, as well as economic and commercial returns.

Erling Haaland gained 34.5 million followers—an 85% increase—more than any other soccer player in the tournament: his follower count rose from 40.8 million at the start to 75.3 million after eliminating Brazil and leading Norway to a historic quarterfinal appearance. In second place is Vozinha, a 40-year-old goalkeeper who started the World Cup with just 46,000 followers: his saves against Spain and Argentina while playing for debutant Cape Verde have earned him nearly 30 million new followers—a growth of over 60,000%. In third place is Lamine Yamal, with more than 14 million new followers. Leo Messi, on the other hand, ranks only sixth despite his decisive role in Argentina’s runner-up finish. “His 8.5 million new followers represent an increase of less than 2% from a base of 515 million—the staff base, after Cristiano Ronaldo’s—and also the hardest to continue growing,” says Pujol.

By national team, Spain has seen the greatest overall increase in the value of its players on Instagram: average 1.5 million followers average player and more than 36 million in total. Argentina, the other finalist, ranks second in average growth, although its total figure exceeds Spain’s because two World Cup champions, Rodri and Unai Simón, do not have Instagram accounts. The rest of the podium is not occupied by the semifinalists France and England, which do not appear until seventh and eighth place: instead, it is Norway and Cape Verde, both propelled by the individual appeal of Haaland and Vozinha, respectively.
 

Four Spanish soccer players in the top 20

Luis de source ’s squad source four players among the 20 whose market value has risen the most during the World Cup: Lamine Yamal; Marc Cucurella, whose move to Real Madrid adds to his tournament impact; Ferran Torres, whose lone goal in the final confirms the commercial value of scoring in the final workshop; and Pau Cubarsí, the only defender in this ranking alongside Cucurella, who was also named the tournament’s best young player.

The report also report that goals and offensive play generate much more brand value than saves or defensive plays. “Among the 100 soccer players with the largest increase in followers, 40 are forwards and account for 131 million new followers, compared to just 38 million combined for the 26 goalkeepers and defenders in that group—3.4 times fewer,” notes Francesc Pujol.

By age, the trend is similar: the World Cup benefits young soccer players and rising stars above all. “These players find their big showcase in the tournament, while the percentage impact decreases with age—except in the case of great players in the final stretch of their degree program, who, thanks to their enormous fan base, continue to rack up significant numbers in absolute terms,” notes the professor at the School of Economics at the University of Navarra. 

Manchester City, FC Barcelona, and Real Madrid: The Biggest Winners

The report extends the analysis to the club level. Manchester City saw a combined increase of 37 million followers among its World Cup players, although 93% of that figure is attributable solely to Haaland. FC Barcelona and Real Madrid follow, with increases of more than 20 million, distributed much more evenly among their players. Atlético Madrid ranks seventh, and nearly half of the top clubs in terms of impact generated play in the English Premier League.

In terms of competitions, the Premier League tops the league rankings, gaining 80.6 million followers among its 159 World Cup players. Spain’s LaLiga follows in second place, with nearly 63 million new followers—a gap with the Premier League that is notably smaller than the difference in issue players contributed by both leagues. In third place is France’s Ligue 1, driven by the influence of PSG and ahead of the German and Italian leagues. Fourth place goes to the Saudi league, which in recent years has signed established stars and legends such as Cristiano Ronaldo. Italy, meanwhile, absent as a national team from this World Cup, occupies a modest ninth place.

The report also includes an analysis of the impact of Instagram posts Instagram the final—temporal dynamics, likes and comments, and the lifecycle of viral content—as well as a specific study of three individual stories: that of Vozinha, Yan Dimandé’s talent, and Michael Olise’s commitment to intentional visual brand communication.