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As of now, Instagram has grown beyond being just another social media platform. Facebook's (now Meta) subsidiary has breached all global and age barriers to unite everybody. Studies suggest that on average, an Instagram user spends about 28 minutes on it.
The same has paved the way for various brands, products and big to small companies to take their presence on Instagram and increase their reach. Instagram is also a destination where celebrities interact with their fans and the fans get a peek into the daily lives of their stars.
From movie stars to sports personalities, almost everybody uses Instagram as it is considered the best medium to stay relevant. Apart from connecting with the fans and posting about their everyday lives, celebs also earn handsome pay for their posts.
In this article, let's take a look at
Top 5 sports stars who make the most money per Instagram post
Source: Hopperhq
#5 LeBron James (Basketball) — $474,000
LeBron James aka King James is arguably the most famous NBA player around. He boasts over 102 million followers on Instagram. Basketball is a niche sport and it does not enjoy much popularity outside the United States. However, that was never a hurdle for LeBron James to be renowned worldwide.
The Ohio-born Power Forward is a global sporting icon and it is believed the NBA star makes around $474,000 per Instagram post. LeBron James earns a massive following for his fitness regime. He is a top athlete who invests a good share of time and money after his fitness goals.
The LA Lakers star enjoys equal fame off the court as well.
#4 Virat Kohli (Cricket) — $680,000
Indian Cricket Team captain Virat Kohli is considered one of the greatest players of all time. His impressive stats coincide with his reputation and the same makes him one of the most followed sports stars on Instagram.
Cricket, being another niche sport, is unable to enjoy the reach like that of football. Despite that, Virat Kohli boasts much more fan following than a lot of footballers. Kohli has 168 million followers and is the most followed personality in India.
Many variables accounted for the star's widespread fame and reach on the social media platform. These include being the captain of the Indian cricket team, a fitness freak and married to popular Bollywood star Anushka Sharma. His ad-stint with Cristiano Ronaldo for a couple of brands facilitated his growth on social media.
#3 Neymar Jr (Football) — $824,000
Ever since his Santos days, Neymar Junior has seldom failed to be the talk of the town. He started from being a boy who could create wonders with his dribbling skills in the Brazilian league. He went on to conquer Europe alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez with Barcelona. Neymar's career has seen nothing but upward growth.
Another turn in his career came after the Brazilian's switch to PSG as the most expensive player in the history of football. He went to the Parisian side in 2017 for an astonishing €222 million. His on and off-field heroics have made Neymar one of the most looked upon sports stars on the planet.
Along with being a skilled footballer who plays for a reputed club and the national side, Neymar is also considered a style-icon. His whacky haircuts are trend-setters and the 29-year-old is known for keeping up with the changing trends.
His dressing sense and haircuts are followed by youth across the globe. Neymar has 165 million Instagram followers.
#2 Lionel Messi (Football) — $1,169,000
Lionel Messi and records go hand-in-hand, don't they? In this glamorous world of football, the Argentine has made his mark in terms of skillset and money. Lionel Messi has always remained one of the highest earning sports personalities in the world.
A major part of his income comes from wages, brand deals, endorsements and of course, Instagram. It is reported that the former Barcelona captain earns about $1,169,000 per Instagram post.
Messi's superior skillset and his rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo has made him arguably the most famous footballer of all time. As a family man, Messi's Instagram grid has plenty of pictures from his private time around family and friends.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo (Football) — $1,604,000
With 367 million followers, Cristiano Ronaldo is the most followed personality on Instagram. He does not need any introduction to justify his online popularity. Cristiano Ronaldo is the epitome of fitness and at the age of 36, he performs no less than a 22-year-old.
The same makes him a fitness icon and thus the Portuguese captain boasts a massive fan following particularly for his fitness and training routine. Many global brands have got the former Real Madrid man as their brand ambassador, with Nike being the toprunner.
Cristiano Ronaldo leads a humble life off the pitch and spends most of his time around his family. Ronaldo's post, where he announced his partner's pregnancy, is the second most liked post on Instagram.
