‘Instagram Rich List’ shows Ronaldo can earn almost $1mn per post as clout of top stars revealed

Cristiano Ronaldo is sport’s undisputed social media king and it’s now been estimated he has the potential to command a staggering $975,000 for a single sponsored Instagram post.

Juventus and Portugal ace Ronaldo has amassed 176 million Instagram followers – the largest in the world, and even ahead of celebrity megastars such as Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian and Ariana Grande. 

Such a colossal following means the footballer has the marketing clout to earn a potential $975,000 per post, according to the ‘Instagram Rich List 2019’, compiled by social media specialists Hopper HQ.

That puts Ronaldo, 34, way out front in the sporting stakes, with fellow footballer Neymar – who has 123 million followers – being able to command up to $722,000 per post, according to the agency.

Amid photos of himself and his family, Ronaldo frequently shares sponsored content with his fans, from his own-brand underwear and shoes to US suitcase companies. 

Footballers past and present dominate the list, as Barcelona star Lionel Messi comes in third with $648,000 per post while ex-England and Manchester United midfielder David Beckham can command an estimated $357,000 from posts to his 57.5 million devotees.

The first non-footballer on the list is basketball star LeBron James, who the company estimates can rake in $272,000 per post and who comes in at fifth.

Perhaps surprisingly, Real Madrid misfit Gareth Bale makes the sports list in seventh place, even ahead of Indian cricketing megastar Virat Kohli, who is down in ninth.

Hopper HQ has published the list for the past three years, and says it is based on “internal data, agency rate cards and public information.”

The overall list was topped by Kylie Jenner, who despite having fewer followers than Ronaldo is estimated to be able to demand an astronomical $1.26 million per post.

Instagram Sports Rich List Top 15

1. Cristiano Ronaldo (football), 176m followers, estimated value per post $975,000

2. Neymar Jr (football), 123 million, $722,000

3. Lionel Messi (football), 126.5 million, $648,000

4. David Beckham (football), 57.5 million, $357,000

5. LeBron James (basketball), 50.7 million, $272,000

6. Ronaldinho (football), 47 million, $256,000

7. Gareth Bale (football), 40.5 million, $218,000  

8. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (football), 36.8 million, $200,000

9. Virat Kohli (cricket), 36 million, $196,000  

10. Luis Suarez (football), 33.8 million, $184,000

11. Conor McGregor (MMA), 39 million, $169,000

12. Mohamed Salah, 30.5 million, $165,000

13. Stephen Curry (basketball), 26 million, $142,000

14. Floyd Mayweather (boxing), 22.7 million, $124,000

15. Ronda Rousey (WWE), 12.5 million, $67,000

16. Serena Williams (tennis), 11 million, $60,500