Social media is one big part of our everyday life. In fact, it’s more like a fuel that makes the human race function well. It has played an instrumental role in propagating the gospel of football to the fans and the corporate world.
In other words, more reason why fandom is no doubt one big unique component in sports that has continually makes the fraternity grow bigger every now and then on social media, most especially football because it’s the biggest tool used in promoting clubs’ popularity on the social space.
Over the years club’s popularity in the social space has to do with how well they’ve been able to provide interesting sporting content to their fans, which helps in drawing the fans closer to the club no matter where they’re supporting from.
It also helps all of these clubs commercially and fetches them extra revenue that helps in keeping the clubs stable financially.
So today on Cheapgoals, let take a look at the 10 football clubs with the highest followers on Social Media
- Manchester City – (England, Total Followers, 70.7m)
It’s a glaring fact that before the big takeover of City by the Arab investors, the Blue side of Manchester was not as rich in terms of monetary aspect and pedigree as the likes of fellow Manchester neighbors, United and Arsenal.
However, since the new dawn and transformation happened to City, which has brought them out of being a mid-table struggler to one of the biggest clubs in English football, and perhaps in Europe. Their story has changed from struggling to success, all thanks to the million dollars takeover in 2008.
The cityzen enjoys a major shift in fortunes after the Arab investors came to town, and since then it’s been an inflow of success followed with it a large chunk of fans supporting the Pep Guardiola led side.
The followers on all of the popular social space now stand at 70.7m. With the help of social media, Man City now broaden its fan base steadily, and it’s expected to continue growing with more success in the league and Europe.
- Arsenal – (England, Total Followers, 72.7m)
The popularity the Gunners enjoyed in the days of legendary players such as Henry, Kanu, Bergkamp, Parlour, Vieira, Pires, and other players that played an instrumental role in their unbeaten runs to their title triumph is gradually dwindling due to lack of success in the league in recent years.
However, the rich history in their early day’s dominance still makes them one of the popular clubs in world football. As such, that legacy built by Le Professor still makes them fans favorite on the social space, the Gunners has a massive 72.7m which makes them one of the most followed teams in the world.
Been ranked among the most followed clubs on social media may not guarantee the Gunners success on the pitch. However, the huge follower they enjoy brings the fans closer to them and also enjoy huge commercial popularity.
READ ALSO: Top 7 Clubs With The Longest Active Trophy Droughts
- Bayern Munich – (Germany, Total Followers, 84.4m)
The number 8 on the list is Bayern Munich, they’re one of Europe’s finest clubs to be reckoned with both in the Bundesliga and Europe. The Bavarian giant recent success in Europe has made them attract a lot of fans supporting them on social media.
The German side has some of the finest football stars in their rank, who also utilize social media as a tool that helps propagate their brand. As a result of that, the biggest club in German football also attracted a lot of fans online.
Since the start of the new season, Hansi Flick’s side has shown that they could also achieve the kind of success the team enjoyed last season, which has been evident in their performances in the league and Europe biggest tournament.
If they yet again triumph in both the champions league and league, perhaps we might see a shift in their ranking with more followers on their side.
- Liverpool – (England, Total Followers, 85.3m)
The Kop title triumph in the 2019-20 season in over 30 years under their German gaffer made them enjoy rapid growth in numbers in the social space, compared to the previous years according to a report.
Since they won the premier league, a total of 17.7m new social media followers join the Mersey side giant, the biggest increase among all football clubs in the world.
With the newfound hunger for trophies, quality players that could rival other top players in the world, and a brilliant manager the Reds may continue to enjoy a major raise on social media.
This season Premier League favorite have established themselves as fans favorite and if the hunger to succeed both in the league and Europe remain intact, we should expect more success in winning titles and upward raise on the social space.
- Paris Saint Germain – (France, Total Followers, 85.6m)
The Parisian moved from one place to 6th place in the ranking of most followed clubs on social media, all thanks to their recent exploit in reaching the Champions League final.
In the previous years in the Ligue 1, the Parisian may not have been dominant and successful, unlike their league rival Lyon. But since the fortune changing investment in 2011 by Arab moneybags, propelled them to achieving back to back successes in the league.
The trajectory on the social platforms doubles most especially when they brought in Brazilian number one player Neymar to the club, plus having one of the finest and youngest player Mbappe in the team.
- Chelsea – (England, Total Followers, 87.9m)
The Blues have been one of the English clubs side enjoying a lot of fan base on the social platform right from early 2000, especially in Nigeria thanks to former Super Eagles left-back Celestine Babayaro who donned the London side shirt.
Success they say has many friends, the Roman Army just like they’re called when Russian Billionaire Roman Abramovich bought the club and pumped in astronomical money in bringing quality players across Europe. This made the team a serious title contender in England and Europe and has also added immensely to their fans on the social space.
Chelsea may have relinquished the league title they won under Conte and failed to taste success in the league. But with the former legend as their new manager, the Blues are again trying to build a dominant team like the one we saw during the era of Mourinho.
- Juventus – (Italy, Total Followers, 97.7m)
The Old Lady is a traditional powerhouse in the Seria A and without doubt the aura of being a champion rob on their social media ranking, having climb one position to fifth place compared to where they were in the previous year.
Within 24 hours of announcing the signing of Ronaldo from Madrid in 2018, 2.2 million new followers joined the Old Lady across all of their social platforms. The Italian now enjoy a followership of 97.7m on social media, which increases their brand and frontier all over the globe.
Being on this list makes them the only Italian club in the top 1o despite their lack of success in Europe. The Old Lady still found a way of enjoying amazing followership on the social space all thanks to some of their superstar players in the team.
READ ALSO: Top 8 Football Clubs That Have Suffered Deep Decline
- Manchester United – (England, Total Followers, 135.7m)
The Red Devil is no doubt the most followed English football club online, thanks to the legacy they’ve built over the years under former manager Sir Alex Ferguson. United also remains one of the only English team in Europe that has crossed the 100m follower barrier.
The decline of United has been evident since the departure of Fergie, although the legacy built by the Scottish manager and global appeal is still one of the crucial tools the Red Devil leverages on. However, despite the decline, their social media followership continues to increase and makes them the most followed English team.
United is the only team among the top rank teams, yet to have an official ‘TikTok Account’, perhaps when they do we might see a rise in their followership, but with them not making their fans happy on the pitch that may be difficult.
- Barcelona – (Italy, Total Followers, 259.8m)
When you have the biggest player in the history of the club and arguably the greatest player of all time in your team, then you shouldn’t be surprised to see the team enjoy a massive fan base across all social platforms.
The Blaugrana haven’t only built a reputation of one of the greatest teams in Europe over the years that makes them a fan favorite both in Spain and Europe. They’ve also built an image in the mind of their fans, due to their brand of football and style.
No club is more successful on TikTok than the Catalan giant, and that also plays a huge role in their rankings as the second best.
With Barcelona in the second position and Real Madrid first setting the bar high for other clubs, with more than 200 million-plus followers on social media. As that we could see how both team’s popularity from Spain has grown.
- Real Madrid – (Spain, Total Followers, 262.3m)
Real Madrid is the most successful club both on the social space and in winning titles. No wonder they edge their arch-rival Barcelona with over 2.5 million followers.
Los Merengue has not got off to a good start on the video platform TikTok, unlike the Catalan. However, that doesn’t reduce their fan base, most especially in the Arabic speaking community, and recently Asian community due to the connection of one of their Asian player Kubo.
As such, no other Western team has ever come close to amassing such a number on social media. Despite losing their talisman Ronaldo to Juventus, the Spanish giants is still very much relevant and popular on social media.
One unique thing that would forever make both teams, relevant and popular on the social platforms is their success in Europe and the ‘El Clasico’, the biggest match fixture in the world that is being followed by millions of viewers.
Conclusion
For every football club, well run professionally, it’s very important that the use of social media is an integral part of promoting their brand and also engages their fans.
A football club that isn’t making use of this great weapon in promoting their brands, update the fans on the day to day activities of the club and players, they’re doing themselves a great disservice.
