Cristiano Ronaldo Receives 'Gold Button' in One Day... First in Human History to Reach 1 Billion Followers

Instagram and X Reach 1 Billion Followers
Experts Say "Star Power and Active SNS Use Drive Popularity"
"Best Moment Yet... Will Make History Together"

Global soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo (39, Al Nassr) has become the first person in human history to surpass 1 billion followers across social media platforms (SNS).

Cristiano Ronaldo (39, Al Nassr) performing a celebration. [Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

On the 13th (local time), Ronaldo announced via his Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) accounts that his total SNS subscribers have exceeded 1 billion. This figure combines followers from Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube, and Chinese SNS platforms Weibo and Kuaishou. Through Instagram and other platforms, he said, "1 billion followers is not just a number. It is proof of the passion and determination we share, and the love for the game and beyond." He added, "From the streets of Madeira (my hometown) to the world's biggest stages, I have always played for my family and for you all, and now we are 1 billion together." He expressed gratitude, saying, "Thank you for believing in me, supporting me, and being part of my life," while emphasizing, "The best moments are yet to come. We will keep striving, winning, and making history together."

Major foreign media outlets such as the British BBC also reported that Ronaldo is the first person to reach '1 billion followers.' Ronaldo's Instagram alone has over 639 million followers. He has 170 million followers on Facebook and over 113 million on X. The BBC added, "Unlike other 'competitors,' Ronaldo does not yet have TikTok or Threads accounts, so there is room to increase his social media follower count."

Cristiano Ronaldo's YouTube account, the first in the world to reach 1 billion SNS subscribers.
[Image source: Screenshot from Cristiano Ronaldo's YouTube]

In particular, his recently launched YouTube channel acted as a catalyst for surpassing 1 billion followers. Ronaldo's YouTube channel 'UR Cristiano,' launched on the 21st of last month, reached 1 million subscribers in just 1 hour and 30 minutes, becoming the fastest channel in YouTube history to receive the 'Gold Button.' Within 12 hours, it surpassed 10 million subscribers, and currently holds 61 million subscribers.

Not only in the soccer world but across all fields of celebrities, no one matches Ronaldo's popularity on SNS. Actress and singer Selena Gomez follows with 690 million, and Ronaldo's longtime rival Lionel Messi (Inter Miami) has about 623 million followers. Pop stars Justin Bieber (607 million) and Taylor Swift (574 million) also rank high. Experts explain that Ronaldo's overwhelming number one follower count is due not only to his star power but also because he actively utilizes SNS.