FIFA World Cup 2026 viral footballers: The FIFA World Cup 2026, which began with 48 teams, has now reached the final between Argentina and Spain; one of these teams will win the title.
Trending Footballers: 5 players who took the internet by storm during the 2026 World Cup
Here are five footballers who became social media stars during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Their follower counts surged rapidly thanks to their brilliant on-field performances and engaging personalities. While some established stars were already famous, a few new faces also went viral this time around.
Erling Haaland (Norway)—
Standing 6-foot-5, this Viking player proved himself to be a highly engaging and relatable figure. From his Instagram posts and Snapchat stories immediately after winning matches to carrying a taxidermy raccoon (a preserved animal specimen) onto a plane, his antics stood out. In just the last few days, his Instagram follower count has nearly doubled, crossing the 70-million mark; he gained over 29 million followers in the last 30 days alone.
Vozinha (Cape Verde)—
Thanks to the stellar performance of this 40-year-old goalkeeper, Cape Verde managed to hold Spain to a 0-0 draw. Within hours of the match, his follower count surged from 500,000 to 29.3 million.
Jude Bellingham (England)—
With good looks, a charming personality, and status as a Golden Boot contender, he even has fans singing Hey Jude for him. He gained over 9 million followers in the last 30 days, bringing his total to 50 million. His openness about mental health has also boosted his popularity.
Lamine Yamal (Spain)—
- This 19-year-old player is calm and level-headed.
- His Instagram features match photos, moments spent with family, and brand partnership posts.
- Videos of him walking around the stadium with his three-year-old younger brother went viral.
- Total followers: 49.6 million; this number is expected to rise further after the final.
Tim (New Zealand)—
An Argentine influencer created a video describing him as an unknown player and urged people to follow him. His follower count jumped from 5,000 to 5.8 million. Later, they posted a thank-you video and also met that influencer.
