Khaberni - The "Football Benchmark" platform revealed the list of the top ten players with the most growth in terms of the number of followers across social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, and Weibo), during the period from December 13, 2024, to December 13, 2025.
Barcelona's young star Lamine Yamal topped the list by a significant margin over his closest pursuers, achieving an absolute growth of 38.6 million new followers.
The numbers were not limited to the total count alone, as Yamal recorded an astounding relative growth rate of +58%, reflecting his overwhelming popularity that exploded over the last year.
Portuguese legend Cristiano Ronaldo came in second place with a growth of 21.7 million followers, and although his relative growth rate was the lowest on the list (+3%), this is due to the huge fan base he already possesses.
Here is a review of the most prominent numbers included in the report:
Pedri (Barcelona): Achieved the highest relative growth rate on the list with +78% (11.4 million new followers).
Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid): Ranked fourth with growth of 10.4 million followers.
Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid): Registered an increase of 7.4 million followers.
Raphinha (Barcelona): Experienced a significant jump with +66% (6.5 million followers).
Argentinian star Lionel Messi was not absent from the scene, ranking seventh with an increase of 6.1 million followers, and the list also included the English League and national team duo, Marcus Rashford with an increase of 5.5 million, and Trent Alexander-Arnold who closed the list with an increase of 4.6 million, and a strong relative growth of +39%.
