Most followed athletes on Instagram

Indian cricket team skipper Virat Kohli recently breached the coveted 100 million followers mark on Instagram. The iconic batsman also became the first Asian to boast a ton of million followers.

Here, we have compiled the list of the top 5 athletes with the most followers on Instagram.

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5. LeBron James (80.3M)

Los Angeles Lakers v Atlanta Hawks

Los Angeles Lakers talisman LeBron James is the only NBA player to make the list. The four-time NBA Champion has 80.3 million followers on Instagram and is also NBA's highest-paid social media influencer. The Akron Hammer earns about $300,850 per sponsored post on the platform, which is about twice as much as any other player in the NBA.

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4. Virat Kohli (100.6M)

Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli's recent landmark means he sits comfortably at fourth on our list. The Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper enjoys a humungous fan following across all social media platforms. The 32-year-old is the only Indian on the Forbes list of Highest-Paid Athletes and remains the nation's most valuable celebrity brand with a brand value of $237.7 million.

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3. Neymar Jr (147.1M)

Peru v Brazil - South American Qualifiers for Qatar 2022

With 147.1 million followers, Paris Saint-Germain's star forward Neymar Jr has the third-most followers on Instagram. The Brazilian ace bags an astronomical £425,000 per advertised post on Instagram, besides earning £600,000 per week at Parc des Princes.

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2. Lionel Messi (187.8M)

Tottenham Hotspur v FC Barcelona - UEFA Champions League Group B

Legendary Barcelona star Lionel Messi is placed second on the list with 187.7 million followers. The mercurial Argentine gets paid about £651k every time for a sponsored post. The 33-year-old is renowned for his regular money-spinning partnerships with Adidas on the platform.

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1. Cristiano Ronaldo (267.1M)

Portugal v Netherlands - UEFA Nations League Final

Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is the undisputed leader in terms of Instagram popularity. The 35-year-old is the first person on Instagram to eclipse the elite 200 million mark. The Juventus frontman also leads the most followed athletes chart on Twitter.

Ronaldo is one of the most marketable faces of all time and uses the platform to promote several brands including Nike, amid frequently posting images of his globetrotting lifestyle. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner pockets nearly $975,000 per sponsored post, equating to an annual income of almost $50 million - which is more than his yearly salary at Turin.