July 12 – Real Madrid’s dominance of the Champions League has translated into an overhwelming lead at the top of the social media rankings over the 2023/24 season.
The club gained 45.1 million over the season and generated 2.4 billion engagements on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X, according to data from a Football Benchmark report.
Not only do Real Madrid have the largest social media following globally among football clubs, their players also lead.
Of the 15 players with the largest followings in the Football Benchmark analysis, 10 were with Real Madrid during the 2023/24 season.
Adding Kylian Mbappé, who will join the Spanish giant next season, and Sergio Ramos, a Real Madrid legend , total rises to 12 players linked to the club.
“The most spectacular percentage growth in followers was seen with French international Aurélien Tchouaméni, European Golden Boy winner Jude Bellingham, and former Manchester City player Brahim Díaz,” said the report.
Football Benchmark said that while clubs have based their social media around the pillars of Facebook, Instagram and X, there is a shift in focus towards the faster growing video platforms of TikTok and YouTube.
Looking at leagues, the top five European football leagues also showed a slowdown in social media follower growth rates compared to the previous season. In the 2022/23 season, LaLiga saw a substantial growth of 28.8%, which dropped significantly to 5.9% in 2023/24. Similarly, the English Premier League’s growth decreased from 20.2% in 2022/23 to 9.4% in 2023/24, finds Football Benchmark.
However, France’s Ligue1 showed a 35.7% growth in 2023/24, following an impressive 47.8% in the previous season. The report said that much of Ligue 1’s new follower base came from TikTok.
Outside of Europe, the analysis finds major growth trajectories for MLS and the Saudi Pro League.
To see the full report, click here.
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