Is 85% of the World Population Following Christiano Ronaldo on Instagram?

Cristiano Ronaldo, an iconic footballer and renowned figure all over the world, has achieved a remarkable milestone by amassing over 600 million followers on his Instagram account. This achievement garnered significant attention from international media outlets, amplifying his already widespread popularity. Consequently, the news of his accomplishment led to a surge in social media activity discussing the feat. However, some social media posts had amplified this first-of-a-kind achievement as well.

Social Media Posts

We’ve come across social media posts claiming that Cristiano Ronaldo, the renowned Portuguese soccer player, has surpassed 600 million followers on Instagram and that this is equivalent to an astounding 85% of the world’s population. The post caption read as below:

“Cristiano Ronaldo achieves a historic milestone as the first person to amass a staggering 600 million followers on Instagram, equivalent to a remarkable 85% of the global population.”

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Users commented on it like below.

As there were a lot of posts like the above, we decided to do a fact-check on it.

Fact-Check

Here’s a breakdown of the claim and the relevant facts:

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Instagram Followers Milestone:

It is true that Cristiano Ronaldo has surpassed the 600 million followers mark on Instagram, making him the most followed individual on the platform and second only to Instagram itself. A direct visit to Ronaldo’s Instagram account confirms this fact. He is easily ahead of other popular personalities, including Lionel Messi, regarding follower count on Instagram. Also, it`s true that he was the first person who reached the goal of 600 million on Instagram. Media reports related to that can be read here & here.

What is Ronaldo’s Fan Base As Compared to Global Population?

This part of the claim is misleading. According to the United Nations reports, the estimated global population has crossed 8 billion in 2022. Even if we consider the lower end of this estimate (8 billion), Ronaldo’s 600 million followers represent approximately 7.5% of the global population, not 85%.

Also, it’s important to note that all of Ronaldo’s followers are not unique due to multiple accounts, fake accounts, organizational accounts, etc.

Is Ronaldo’s Fan Base Equivalent to 85% of Instagram Users:

The estimated number of active Instagram users is around one billion. Even if we consider this number, Ronaldo’s 600 million followers would represent 60% of all Instagram users, not 85%.

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Conclusion

In conclusion, while Cristiano Ronaldo has indeed achieved a significant milestone by amassing 600 million followers on Instagram, the claim that this number is equivalent to 85% of the global population is misleading.