From Vozinha to Tim Payne: Players Who Gained Most Instagram Followers During the World Cup

The expanded 2026 World Cup, featuring more participating nations than the previous edition, provided a global stage for players to gain exposure both on and off the field, leading to a surge in their Instagram followings.

Among the most viral cases was Cape Verde's goalkeeper, Vozinha. His exceptional performance, including keeping a clean sheet against Spain, helped his team secure a crucial point and advance to the knockout stages. This exposure led to an impressive increase in his social media presence.

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I think Spain is the main favorite. Of course there will be surprises, but football is a difficult game to predict, so anything can happen.

Before the tournament, Vozinha had fewer than 50,000 Instagram followers. However, his on-field heroics and compelling personal story resonated with millions, propelling his account, @vozinha1, to over 29.3 million followers, an increase of more than 65,000%. This growth has positioned him as the most followed goalkeeper on Instagram, surpassing established stars like Iker Casillas and Manuel Neuer.

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Looking at the current situation, it is a very difficult period for the Italian national team. We have missed three consecutive World Cups. This is indeed a major disaster.

New Zealand defender Tim Payne also experienced a significant rise in followers. His journey gained traction, partly influenced by an Argentine influencer who highlighted him as the player with the fewest followers at the start of the World Cup. While not reaching the same numbers as Vozinha, Payne's social media presence saw a substantial boost.

Other notable players who gained a large number of followers included Mexico's young talent Gilberto Mora, who broke a record previously held by Pelé. Although not explicitly detailed in this article, the text implies that stars like Erling Haaland also saw substantial follower increases, with Haaland reportedly jumping from 40 million to 70 million followers.

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It is not something easy for us to accept, but this is the reality we have to accept based on our current level of play. We need to start rebuilding the team and focus on the future.