8848’s MD and former sports journalist James Garrison looks at who’s winning the off-pitch battle to become social media kings of Euro 2024.
The Euros are in full swing, and with them comes the battle for social media dominance alongside the fight for the championship trophy. Fanpage Karma recently released a report analysing the online presence of European national team players, and as a stat-loving former sports journalist, I couldn’t wait to dive in.
Follower frenzy: Ronaldo reigns supreme
There’s no surprise here. Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese captain, takes the crown for the most followers with a staggering 630 million on Instagram. Kylian Mbappé of France follows closely with 118 million, while Toni Kroos of Germany comes in third with 48 million.
Fastest finger award: Kroos on the rise
While Instagram seems to be the preferred platform for most players, TikTok is where things get interesting. Toni Kroos, surprisingly, leads the pack with a massive 23% follower growth this year. His return to the German national team likely played a role, but TikTok’s algorithm also helps with faster discovery. João Félix from Portugal follows with a 12% increase, and Harry Kane of England takes second place on TikTok with a 14% growth.
Engagement all-star: Félix takes the cake
When it comes to captivating fans, João Félix emerges as the undisputed champion. He boasts an impressive average engagement rate of 6.3% on Instagram and a whopping 8.9% on TikTok. Interestingly, this might be partly due to some viral posts, like his February TikTok video that reached nearly six million viewers. Even without that outlier, he’d still be the king of engagement on TikTok, but with a slightly smaller lead. His frequent lifestyle posts might remind you more of an influencer than a footballer, but hey, it works.
The rest of the pack
Kevin de Bruyne (Belgium) and Kylian Mbappé (France) round out the top three for Instagram engagement, while Toni Kroos (Germany) and Harry Kane (England) follow João Félix on TikTok.
National team standings
Players from Portugal, France, Germany, Belgium, and England consistently top the rankings across all categories. Portugal, with Ronaldo’s massive following and Félix’s high engagement, could be considered the overall social media champion – but will this translate to on-field victory? No way. I’m obviously England all the way!
You can get all the stats on Fanpage Karma’s website.
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