​ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGACristiano Ronaldo emerged as one of the biggest social media winners of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, finishing fourth among the tournament’s top Instagram gainers. The Portugal star added 11.4 million followers despite his country failing to reach the latter stages.Ronaldo also sparked controversy after his verified account appeared to endorse a post accusing FIFA of favoring Argentina at the competition.Overall, Norway striker Erling Haaland led all other players at the World Cup in growth of IG numbers, as he added a whopping 32.1 million followers to his audience.Cristiano Ronaldo Adds 11.4M Followers After World CupEuropa Press / MEGACristiano Ronaldo may already be the most-followed athlete on Instagram, but the Portuguese icon still proved the FIFA World Cup could grow even the biggest global brands.At the just-concluded global soccer showpiece, Ronaldo finished fourth among the tournament’s biggest Instagram gainers. According to a Sportico analysis of social media growth during the World Cup, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner added 11.4 million followers during the 38-day competition to climb from 665.6 million to a staggering 677 million.This boost represented a relatively modest 1.71% increase compared to that of the tournament’s breakout stars, but it was still enough to place Ronaldo behind only Erling Haaland, Vozinha, and Jude Bellingham in total followers gained after the tournament.The continued social media dominance by the Al-Nassr forward stands out even more when you consider Portugal failed to reach the latter stages.Erling Haaland Outpaces Every World Cup Star In IG GainsZUMAPRESS.com / MEGARonaldo may have added another 11.4 million followers, but he was comfortably outpaced by Haaland, who topped the rankings after gaining 32.1 million during the tournament.The Norway striker’s following reportedly surged from 40.6 million to 72.7 million, representing an increase of roughly 80%. His quirky and playful posts also helped introduce his personality to a wider American audience as Norway reached the quarterfinals.Days after being knocked out of the tournament by England, Haaland was spotted partying with Michele Morrone at a Dolce & Gabbana event in Italy, as reported by The Blast.Haaland Became A Fan Favorite As He Embraced American CultureOn the pitch, Haaland finished the tournament with seven goals, helping Norway reach the quarterfinals in their first World Cup appearance since 1998.The towering forward also won over fans across the United States with his personality and off-field adventures. He attended Game 5 of the NHL Stanley Cup Final in North Carolina before Norway’s tournament opener, cheered on the Carolina Hurricanes, and explored local attractions during breaks in the schedule.Haaland even went viral after buying a taxidermied raccoon from a Texas souvenir shop and joking on social media that “It followed me home.” Those memorable moments, combined with his performances for Nor