Lionel Messi achieved a significant milestone on Instagram, amassing 500 million followers, making him the second person globally to achieve such a feat.
Despite this achievement, he still trails the top spot by 122 million followers. Messi inaugurated his account in June 2013, chronicling his footballing journey, from his successes at Barcelona to winning the 2022 World Cup with Argentina and his subsequent move to Inter Miami.
Alongside documenting his career, Messi shares glimpses of his family life and engages in brand endorsements. However, he remains distant from surpassing his longtime rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who boasts 622 million followers, having established his account over a year before Messi.
Notably, the most followed account on the platform is Instagram itself, with 669 million followers. Following Ronaldo and Messi, singer and actress Selena Gomez occupies fourth place with 429 million followers, followed by Kylie Jenner with 400 million.
Dwayne Johnson, widely known as The Rock, ranks sixth with 396 million followers. Cricket icon Virat Kohli holds the 16th position with 266 million followers, while football sensation Neymar claims the third spot among footballers, securing 219 million followers and the 20th position overall.
#MaltaDaily