Five football players who gained social media popularity during World Cup 2026

Football stars are leveraging social media for an inside look at the World Cup, significantly boosting their followings. Erling Haaland of Norway has gained nearly 29 million new followers on Instagram, bringing his total to over 70 million through candid posts. Cape Verde’s goalkeeper Vozinha jumped from 500,000 to 29.3 million followers after a standout performance, while England’s Jude Bellingham gained 9 million followers, and Spain’s Lamine Yamal has 49.6 million as he prepares for the final. New Zealand’s Tim Payne also saw a surge in popularity due to a viral moment prior to the tournament.

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