Cristiano Ronaldo has once again emerged as Instagram’s top earner for the third consecutive year. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner was ranked as the highest-paid athlete globally by Forbes in July. Now, he has topped the 2023 Instagram Rich List, compiled by Instagram scheduling tool Hopper HQ.
According to Hopper HQ, Ronaldo earns a staggering $6.5 million per Instagram post, benefiting from his near 600 million followers. His closest rival on the list is Lionel Messi, who earns nearly $5.2 million for each post. These football stars outshine other athletes and celebrities, including Selena Gomez, Kylie Jenner, and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.
Only two other athletes, Indian cricketer Virat Kohli and Brazilian footballer Neymar, made it to the Top 20. Neymar’s earnings per post are nearly double that of his Paris Saint-Germain teammate Kylian Mbappe.
The list highlights the continued financial growth of online influence and personal branding. Mike Bandar, co-founder of Hopper HQ, noted the dominance of traditional celebrities like Ronaldo and Messi in both the sports arena and the digital space.
