sports
World Cup Players Gain Instagram Followers as U.S. Team Exits Round of 16
Data from June 1 to July 13, 2026, show large follower increases for several players still active in the tournament. U.S. players and team searches also rose sharply on TikTok.
Jul 14, 11:36 AM·1m read1 source
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Several players competing in the 2026 World Cup added millions of Instagram followers between June 1 and July 13. Forbes reported that England midfielder Jude Bellingham gained more than 6 million followers, a nearly 15 percent increase. Spain forward Lamine Yamal added over 3.5 million followers for an 8 percent gain, while England striker Harry Kane gained 1.
Argentina forward Lionel Messi added 6.1 million followers in the same period. U.S. TikTok searches for "Jude Bellingham" rose 10-fold from June 11 to July 12 compared with the prior period. Searches for "Harry Kane" increased more than 136 times over the same span, according to data cited by Forbes.
U.S. men's national team defender Alex Freeman recorded the largest percentage gain among American players, with his Instagram following rising more than 425 percent during the tournament. The 21-year-old, the youngest player on the roster, scored in a group-stage win over Australia.
Midfielder Folarin Balogun added roughly 620,000 followers and forward Christian Pulisic added more than 280,000. U.S. TikTok searches for "Folarin Balogun" increased seven times in the two weeks ending July 12.
Searches for "Christian Pulisic" rose 36 times since the tournament began. Searches combining "USMNT" and "Team USA" climbed nearly 29 times from June 11 to July 12. The U.S. team exited in the Round of 16.
