Most Influential Athletes on Social Media

These men and women have powerful digital game.

Most Influential Athletes on Social Media

Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo during a 2018 game against Manchester United at Old Trafford in Manchester, England.

Social media has changed the game for athletes. Not only can they control whatever message they want to share, but virtual networks give them another potential revenue stream.

An athlete with a million or more followers can command $50,000 to $100,000 for a single product endorsement.

That's chump change for the sports king of social, Cristiano Ronaldo, who is the most followed athlete in the world and reaches over 340 million people on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. The 33-year-old Portuguese soccer player's influence is so great that he can produce nearly $1 billion in annual value for his sponsors, according to Forbes.

So who else in the sports world has digital juice? Meet the 50 most influential athletes on social media.

The list includes athletes from 20 countries in eight different sports, with Americans (11) and soccer players (28) the most represented.

Note: All numbers are for 2018 unless otherwise noted.

#50: Robert Lewandowski

Sport: Soccer

Country: Poland

Salary: $11.6 million

Endorsements: $7.1 million

Total social media influence: 24 million

Facebook likes: 9.2 million

Twitter followers: 1.2 million

Instagram followers: 13.6 million

Polish star Robert Lewandowski is one of his county's best-ever sportsmen after scoring a record 55 goals for the national team. However, he is not the only sportsperson in the family. His wife, Anna, also is a world-class athlete with a black belt in karate who runs a wellness blog called “Healthy Plan by Ann” and often shares information to her 2 million Instagram followers about health and fitness.

#49: Kylian Mbappe

Sport: Soccer

Country: France

Salary: $26 million

Endorsements: $20 million (approximate)

Total social media influence: 24.8 million

Facebook likes: 1.6 million

Twitter followers: 2.1 million

Instagram followers: 21.1 million

At age 19, Kylian Mbappe, winner of the 2018 FIFA World Cup "best young player" award, became the first teenager since the legendary Pele in 1958 to score a goal in a World Cup final in France’s 4-2 win over Croatia. Mbappe’s Twitter followers jumped from 1.4 million to 1.65 million in 72 hours after his goal and continues to climb.

#48: Yuvraj Singh

Sport: Cricket

Country: India

Salary: $2 million

Endorsements: $23 million

Total social media influence: 25.1 million

Facebook likes: 14.7 million

Twitter followers: 4.7 million

Instagram followers: 5.7 million

Yuvraj Singh is a player on and off the cricket field and may be the most appealing Indian cricketer. His style game is just as strong as his illustrious skills as an all-rounder, and his celebrity marriage to British−Mauritian model-actor Hazel Keech doesn't hurt his mass appeal, either.

His endorsement list includes Microsoft Xbox 360, Reebok, Pepsi, Parachute Hair Cream, Lakshmi Vatika Ltd., Birla Sun Life and Royal Stag Mega Music.

Recently, he entered the fashion industry, launching his brand, YWC Fashion, in collaboration with designers Shantanu and Nikhil. All the profits from his clothing line go to YouWeCan (YWC), his cancer-fighting foundation.

#47: Sania Mirza

Sport: Tennis

Country: India

Salary: $6.9 million (career earnings before pregnancy)

Endorsements: $2.5 million (approximate)

Total social media influence: 26 million

Facebook likes: 12.5 million

Twitter followers: 8.6 million

Instagram followers: 4.9 million

Tennis ace and six-time Grand Slam winner Sania Mirza is a legend in India. Though the 31-year-old put her career on pause in 2017 to have a child with Pakistan cricket star Shoaib Malik, she has inspired the rise of young Indian tennis players like Ankita Raina and Prarthana Thombare. Mirza also uses her social influence to promote gender equality in sports and empower women.

#46: Serena Williams

Sport: Tennis

Country: United States

Salary: $3.7 million (2018 winnings)

Endorsements: $28 million

Total social media influence: 26.5 million

Facebook likes: 5.4 million

Twitter followers: 11 million

Instagram followers: 10.1 million

With four Olympic gold medals and 23 Grand Slam titles in tennis, Serena Williams is one of the most successful athletes in history. She’s also a top sports influencer off the court — partnering with brands like Nike, Beats By Dre and others.

Her 1-year-old daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., also has social juice with an Instagram following (495K and growing) and verified blue check mark of her own. In fact, Olympia already has more followers than father Alexis, a Reddit cofounder.

#45: Ronda Rousey

Sport: MMA/WWE

Country: United States

Salary: $12 million (estimated net worth)

Total social media influence: 26.7 million

Facebook likes: 11.4 million

Twitter followers: 3.7 million

Instagram followers: 11.6 million

Ronda Rousey broke down barriers for women in mixed martial arts while setting pay-per-view records. Now, she is on a similar path in WWE as one of the biggest stars of the women’s division. The company also appears to be leaning on her to help boost the ratings for "Total Divas."

Before entering the WWE arena, Rousey was the first female champion in UFC history and turned her celebrity status into appearances in Hollywood films and even got the cover of Men’s Health magazine.

#44: Cesc Fabregas

Sport: Soccer

Country: Spain

Salary: $9.4 million

Endorsements: $5.4 million

Total social media influence: 27 million

Facebook likes: 7 million

Twitter followers: 9.8 million

Instagram followers: 10.2 million

Spanish and Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fàbregas has a knack for making history. Appearing alongside former England and Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp in July 2017, Fàbregas became the joint holder of the most volley passes in 30 seconds by a pair with 15 passes.

The World Cup winner also is in the record books for the fastest time to achieve 100 assists in the Premier League, reaching the tally in just 293 games. Fàbregas’ record-breaking assist came on Dec. 31, 2016, when he set up Brazilian midfielder Willian’s second goal in Chelsea’s 4-2 win over Stoke City.

To give some perspective, that’s 74 matches sooner than Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs, who is second on the list with 367 games.

#43: Maria Sharapova

Sport: Tennis

Country: Russia

Salary: $1.3 million (winnings)

Endorsements: $9.5 million

Total social media influence: 27.1 million

Facebook likes: 15 million

Twitter followers: 8.8 million

Instagram followers: 3.3 million

Maria Sharapova remains a fan favorite, despite her two-year suspension from tennis for using meldonium during the 2016 Australian Open. Since returning to the tour in January, the Russian superstar has raised her social following and continues to trend upward.

Fans are even more intrigued with Sharapova now that the 31-year-old tennis star has confirmed that she and 39-year-old British businessman and Paddle 8 cofounder Alexander Gilkes (a close friend of Prince William) are dating.

#42: Paulo Dybala

Sport: Soccer

Country: Argentina

Salary: $7.8 million

Endorsements: unknown

Total social media influence: 28 million

Facebook likes: 3.4 million

Twitter followers: 1.5 million

Instagram followers: 23.1 million

Paulo Dybala is one of the finest talents in the international football game. Petite, quick and blessed with a magical left foot, the Argentinian playmaker made the transition from Argentina's second-level league to the uber-competitive Serie A and Champions League look simple, scoring a record 72 goals in 148 Juventus games.

Now, the 24-year-old striker is on a mission to surpass Juve teammate Cristiano Ronaldo — in stardom on the pitch and popularity off it.

#41: Shaquille O’Neal

Sport: Basketball

Country: United States

Salary: $1 million

Endorsements: $35 million (approximate)

Total social media influence: 30.5 million

Facebook likes: 6.1 million

Twitter followers: 14.8 million

Instagram followers: 9.6 million

Shaq is one of the most recognizable players in NBA history — both as a player and man in the media with his rap, acting and sports commentating careers.

His Instagram account is filled with GetSpun.com videos of his face dancing on funny internet videos and memes, and his Twitter followers count keeps growing due to his newfound fame as a deejay named DJ Diesel.

Although he's been out of the NBA since 2011, his endorsement portfolio remains quite full. In the years since his retirement alone, he has appeared in ads for Buick, Icy Hot, Arizona beverages (which gave him his own cream soda), Gold Bond, The General, Zales and a plethora of other brands.

In fact, Shaq recently told HBO’s "Real Sports" that he makes more annually as a pitchman than he ever did as a player. He appears in commercials, he invests in products, he sells clothes and shoes and, of course, he collects a salary from Turner Sports for his work on "Inside the NBA."

Two marketing gurus own 51 percent of Shaq’s marketing rights in a deal that, according to Real Sports, has paid Shaq about $100 million over two-and-a-half years.

#40: Dwyane Wade

Sport: Basketball

Country: United States

Salary: $2.4 million

Endorsements: $14 million

Total social media influence: 30.6 million

Facebook likes: 11 million

Twitter followers: 7.9 million

Instagram followers: 11.7 million

The three-time NBA champion and 12-time All-Star is calling it a hoops career after the 2018-19 season. On Sept. 16, he posted a video on YouTube with the hashtag #OneLastDance, referencing his final season, and the video has been viewed almost 1 million times.

Dwyane Wade has incredible staying power, and his future will be bright after his playing days are over. The former Marquette star and Chicago native is one of 10 NBA players who will earn more than $12 million off the court this season, primarily through endorsement deals but also including licensing, royalties, appearances and media deals.

#39: Eden Hazard

Sport: Soccer

Country: Belgium

Salary: $13.7 million

Endorsements: $4.2 million

Total social media influence: 32.2 million

Facebook likes: 9.3 million

Twitter followers: 5.8 million

Instagram followers: 17.1 million

Eden Hazard has elevated his level to that of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi and now is the best player in the world, according to Chelsea teammate Ross Barkley. The difference between Hazard and Ronaldo and Messi, Barkley believes, is the Belgian plays more for the team than himself. “Compared to them, they are probably a lot more selfish than Eden is,” said Barkley.

Hazard is indeed different, quieter, more introverted. He will not illuminate a room with an effervescent smile like Ronaldo can. He does not command the ball on the pitch like Messi does. Yet Hazard can devastate the opposition at will with nifty moves and precision when desired.

#38: Roger Federer

Sport: Tennis

Country: Switzerland

Salary: $5.8 million (2018 winnings)

Endorsements: $33 million

Total social media influence: 32.7 million

Facebook likes: 14.9 million

Twitter followers: 12.4 million

Instagram followers: 5.4 million

Professional tennis player Roger Federer is one of the the game’s top influencers and also one of the highest paid.

Federer has won $116 million in prize money in his career, but the total is dwarfed by his off-court earnings from appearances and endorsements. The Swiss tennis ace banked $77.2 million between June 2017 and June 2018 by Forbes’ count, with $65 million coming from endorsements and appearance fees.

His off-court earnings from marketers are higher than any other athlete. His partners include Mercedes-Benz, Lindt, Wilson, Credit Suisse, Rolex, Jura, Moet & Chandon, Sunrise and NetJets. Recently, he added pasta brand Barilla as a sponsor in a deal worth as much as $40 million.

In addition, he uses his popularity to help in charitable ways, raising more than $40 million for his foundation, with a goal to educate one million children in Africa.

#37: Usain Bolt

Sport: Track and Field

Country: Jamaica

Salary: $20 million

Endorsements: $5 million

Total social media influence: 33 million

Facebook likes: 19 million

Twitter followers: 5.1 million

Instagram followers: 8.9 million

An eight-time Olympic sprinting champion, the 32-year-old Bolt turned his attentions to soccer after retiring from track and field in 2017 year.

He spent time training with Borussia Dortmund in Germany, Mamelodi Sundowns FC in South Africa and Norwegian club Stromsgodset before moving to a trial with Australian A-League team Central Coast Mariners in August.

The 6-foot-5 sprint king has played as a forward and scored two goals in a preseason friendly. After the match Bolt posted a celebratory video on Instagram with the caption: "Dreams become reality through hard work." In the span of a week, the video was viewed a little over 4.5 million times.

#36: Sergio Aguero

Sport: Soccer

Country: Argentina

Salary: $17.1 million

Endorsements: $8.9 million

Total social media influence: 34.6 million

Facebook likes: 11 million

Twitter followers: 13.2 million

Instagram followers: 10.4 million

Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero has undergone a huge tactical transformation in his two years under manager Pep Guardiola, evolving from a selfish center forward to one who can distribute with the best of them.

Off the pitch, Aguero has transitioned into one of the most popular players in the game. A recent encounter with Italian blogger and Instagram model Zoe Cristofoli, the tattooed blonde with close to 400,000 followers, gained front-page coverage throughout the London newspapers.

#35: Antoine Griezmann

Sport: Soccer

Country: France

Salary: $23.1 million

Endorsements: $6.8 million

Total social media influence: 35.6 million

Facebook likes: 7.6 million

Twitter followers: 5.8 million

Instagram followers: 22.2 million

Fortnite has taken the world by storm in 2018, with a whole host of athletes in a variety of sports admitting to have stayed up to all hours playing the multiplayer online game. The video game features celebratory dances of all kinds, including one nicknamed “Take the L,” for take the loss. Antoine Griezmann made the dance more famous when he gave the celebration major airtime after scoring in France’s World Cup final victory against Croatia.

The subsequent video has been viewed a little over 1 million times on his Instagram page.

Described as “the best player in the world” by Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone, the 27-year-old forward is on the verge of superstardom, emerging as Paris Saint-Germaine’s primary target to replace Neymar should the Brazilian decide to leave the French capital.

#34: Virender Sehwag

Sport: Cricket

Country: India

Salary: $1.8 million

Endorsements: $28 million

Total social media influence: 35.9 million

Facebook likes: 14.5 million

Twitter followers: 18.1 million

Instagram followers: 3.5 million

Virender Sehwag retired from international cricket in March 2013 after a stellar career in which he amassed a staggering 16,859 runs as one of India's most successful openers. But he recently rolled back the years and participated in the Karnataka Chalanachitra Cup, a two-day tournament featuring Indian film stars and current and past cricketers.

Sehwag was so proud of the moment that he posted a video on Twitter of him “smashing sixes” while playing for the Kadamba Lions in the tournament, a team led by south Indian actor Kichcha Sudeep, the brainchild of the event. Sehwag's text on the post reminded everyone of the good old days and, when translated, states: "The rule was same in the past like it is now. Why delay the positive work."

#33: Rafael Nadal

Sport: Tennis

Country: Spain

Salary: $8.6 million (2018 winnings)

Endorsements: $33 million

Total social media influence: 36 million

Facebook likes: 14.5 million

Twitter followers: 15.6 million

Instagram followers: 5.9 million

Rafael Nadal ranks second on the 2018 tennis earnings scoreboard with $41.4 million, including $33 million from endorsements and appearances. The clay-court maestro broke a three-year Grand Slam slump in 2017 with wins at the French Open and U.S. Open. The two wins netted Nadal more than $6 million in prize money on his way to $14.4 million in the 12 months ending June 1.

Nadal’s three-year deal with Tommy Hilfiger expired, but he retains endorsements with Nike, Babolat, Kia Motors, Telefonica, Banco Sabadell, Richard Mille and more.

#32: Dani Alves

Sport: Soccer

Country: Brazil

Salary: $8.2 million

Endorsements: $4.1 million

Total social media influence: 37.7 million

Facebook likes: 8.2 million

Twitter followers: 8.7 million

Instagram followers: 20.8 million

Jordan Brand might be a new player in the football space, but their entrance into the beautiful game has been certified by the most decorated player in the history of the sport, Dani Alves, the 35-year-old Brazilian defender who has 36 major trophies to his name.

Jumpman tabbed the legendary Brazilian defender (along with Kylian Mbappe) as one of its main endorsers when it announced a major partnership with Paris Saint-Germain in 2018, cementing PSG’s reputation as the game’s hottest football club.

#31: Kevin Durant

Sport: Basketball

Country: United States

Salary: $30 million

Endorsements: $36 million

Total social media influence: 38.2 million

Facebook likes: 10.4 million

Twitter followers: 17.5 million

Instagram followers: 10.3 million

From the phony burner accounts discovered in 2017 to the back-and-forth spats with random Twitter users to the supposed beef he recently had online with Portland Trail Blazer guard CJ McCollum, the two-time NBA champion certainly has not shied away from the socials even though his behavior on the medium has been quirky to say the least. Nevertheless, it has not affected his marketing presence -- he holds the most endorsement deals of any NBA player with partners that include Nike, Beats, American Family Insurance, Alaska Airlines and Panini. His investment arm, the Durant Company, has more than 30 investments in companies like delivery service Postmates and micro-investing app Acorns, as well as a development and media firm, Thirty Five Media.

#30: Mohamed Salah

Sport: Soccer

Country: Egypt

Salary: $13.2 million

Endorsements: unknown

Total social media influence: 38.6 million

Facebook likes: 10.9 million

Twitter followers: 7.3 million

Instagram followers: 20.4 million

Egyptian superstar Mohamed Salah recently became the only sports star to make it to Forbes’ new “Arab Stars On The Global Stage” list, which includes the most prominent Arab figures in different fields such as fashion, cinema, sports and the label record industry.

Salah landed on the list due to a stellar 12 months in which he netted 44 goals for Liverpool, played an integral part in Liverpool advancing to the UEFA Champions League final with 32 goals in 38 games, and helped Egypt secure a place in the World Cup tournament for the first time in 28 years.

More so, though, Salah has endeared himself to fans due largely in part to the embrace of his religion and his culture. His social media posts show his faith, and fans have responded in kind.

The Liverpool faithful first unveiled a chant in honor of the 26-year-old striker in a Champions League match against FC Porto, and it has stuck. The cheer is sung to the tune of “Good Enough,” a 1996 hit by the English pop group Dodgy:

Mo Salah-la-la-la-la

If he’s good enough for you

He’s good enough for me

If he scores another few

Then I’ll be Muslim, too.

#29: Mahendra Singh Dhoni

Sport: Cricket

Country: India

Salary: $1.8 million

Endorsements: $28 million

Total social media influence: 38.7 million

Facebook likes: 20.5 million

Twitter followers: 7.2 million

Instagram followers: 11 million

MS Dhoni is arguably the most popular cricketer from India, next to Sachin Tendulkar. Formerly a ticket inspector with the Indian Railways, Dhoni's story drips in likeness to Notre Dame’s "Rudy" and Robert Redford’s "The Natural."

Long-haired and confident, he rose up from the cricketing backwaters, the mining state of Jharkhand, and through a homemade batting and wicket keeping technique, Dhoni became the darling of crowds around the nation.

Under his captaincy and fearlessness, India has won the top prize in all formats: the No.1 test ranking for 18 months starting December 2009, the 50-over World Cup in 2011 and the World Twenty20 on his captaincy debut in 2007.

#28: Toni Kroos

Sport: Soccer

Country: Germany

Salary: $13.7 million

Endorsements: $2.5 million

Total social media influence: 39.4 million

Facebook likes: 12.4 million

Twitter followers: 7.3 million

Instagram followers: 19.7 million

Germany did not fare as well as it hoped in the 2018 World Cup, but Toni Kroos provided the nation — and his millions of social media followers — with an iconic goal. Kroos, who had been lackluster for most of the 94 minutes against Sweden, stood over a dead ball just outside the right edge of the penalty box. His subsequent free kick, one of world-class technique and simplicity, curled into the back corner of the net and redeemed himself and his mates. But the magic would not last as the Germans suffered a 2-0 loss to Korea in the next match and failed to exit the group stage.

#27: Radamel Falcao

Sport: Soccer

Country: Colombia

Salary: $18.2 million

Endorsements: $4.5 million

Total social media influence: 40.9 million

Facebook likes: 12.8 million

Twitter followers: 17 million

Instagram followers: 11.1 million

Nicknamed “El Tigre” for his ferocious style of play, Radamel Falcao recently was praised by Monaco coach Thierry Henry as being the the team’s “charismatic leader” and an integral part of the team’s struggle to emerge from 18th place in the Ligue 1 table.

The Colombian forward has been the only bright spot for Monaco, scoring 54 goals over the past two seasons, good enough for Konami to make him a local ambassador and put him on the cover of the company's Pro Evolution Soccer video game, along with Barcelona and Brazilian midfielder Philippe Coutinho.

#26: Paul Pogba

Sport: Soccer

Country: France

Salary: $20 million

Endorsements: $4.5 million

Total social media influence: 42.7 million

Facebook likes: 7.3 million

Twitter followers: 5.9 million

Instagram followers: 29.5 million

The Manchester United midfielder went into the 2018 World Cup with doubt but emerged victorious and full of swag. Better yet, his social media game became full of posts of him dancing.

Whether it was with French president Emmanuel Macron, or with his brothers and mother after each victorious match, or with the iconic sculpted gold FIFA trophy that means everything in soccer, Pogba dabbed his way into the hearts of social media followers around the world.

The French midfielder set the defensive standards for his countrymen, alongside the likes of N’Golo Kante and Raphael Varane, while playing a large role in France’s epic run in the tournament.

#25: Floyd Mayweather

Sport: Boxing

Country: United States

Salary: $275 million (includes winnings)

Endorsements: $10 million

Total social media influence: 43.5 million

Facebook likes: 13.6 million

Twitter followers: 7.9 million

Instagram followers: 22 million

Floyd Mayweather’s 2017 fight versus Conor McGregor in Las Vegas generated more than $550 million in revenue, with Money Mayweather earning $275 million as the "A" side of the bout and for his role as promoter. The payday by Mayweather pushed his career earnings to nearly $1 billion.

Mayweather’s road to $1 billion was paved by shrewd marketing — and the moment he walked into Top Rank’s office a little over a decade ago, handed Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum a check for $750,000 and decided to start his own promotion company.

The notorious gambler made the biggest gamble of his life, and it has turned into the biggest return he could ever have made in any Vegas casino. He transformed from Pretty Boy to Money Mayweather, becoming the ultimate showman by appearing on "Dancing with the Stars" and "WrestleMania."

More so, he tapped into social media when others in the boxing game were still using traditional marketing devices and has built a powerful social following.

“He had the great vision to take his brand to the next level,” said Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe in a 2016 interview with Forbes.

#24: Stephen Curry

Sport: Basketball

Country: United States

Salary: $34.9 million

Endorsements: $42 million

Total social media influence: 43.6 million

Facebook likes: 8.2 million

Twitter followers: 12.9 million

Instagram followers: 22.5 million

The two-time MVP and three-time NBA champion signed the NBA's first $200 million contract in 2017 and is one of the game’s top social influencers. He’s generated a popular following not only due to his play on the court, but also for his connection with fans.

His social media content is often filled with posts about his family. Take a recent photo of him holding his newborn son, Canon W. Jack Curry, in the air and announcing, “My dudes first game tonight.” It received nearly 2 million likes in three days.

#23: Kobe Bryant

Sport: Basketball

Country: United States

Salary: $25 million (retired in 2016)

Endorsements: $25 million (approximate)

Total social media influence: 43.8 million

Facebook likes: 20.7 million

Twitter followers: 14.1 million

Instagram followers: 9 million

On Dec. 19, 2017, the day of his Los Angeles Lakers jersey retirement ceremony, Kobe Bryant shared on Twitter the link to his documentary film, “Dear Basketball.” The social move was a far cry from when he avoided the platform for years.

A little less than five years after he first tweeted, “The antisocial has become social #mambatweets,” Bryant exemplified the power of social media when he posted a link to his animated short film (made alongside Glen Keane) that would soon win an Oscar at the 90th Annual Academy Awards.

The retired Lakers superstar, who earned $328 million on the court in his 20-year NBA career and a similar amount off the court over that time, admits the use of social media in the past few years has helped him tap into a market he never before imagined.

It also has allowed him to form a $100 million joint venture investment firm with entrepreneur Jeff Stibel and start his own production company, Granity Studios.

#22: Conor McGregor

Sport: Mixed martial arts

Country: Ireland

Salary: $85 million (includes winnings)

Endorsements: $14 million

Total social media influence: 44.8 million

Facebook likes: 7.9 million

Twitter followers: 7.6 million

Instagram followers: 29.3 million

Conor McGregor lost his October UFC fight against Khabib Nurmagomedov — the Irishman's first foray in the octagon since November 2016 — but the star continued to demonstrate why he is one of the sport’s most iconic figures.

The bout broke pay-per-view records with over 2.4 million buying the fight, a higher total than the previous record for the sport: McGregor's rematch against Nate Diaz in 2016, which hit 1.6 million.

McGregor — who is known as "The Notorious" both in and out of the ring and across social media — now has the UFC's three highest pay-per-view shows, with his first fight against Diaz also attracting over 1 million buys.

While the 2.4 million is a UFC record by quite a distance, it still falls short of McGregor's boxing match with Floyd Mayweather, which attracted 4.3 million.

To put McGregor’s popularity into context, the UFC's highest pay-per-view tally this year before McGregor-Nurmagomedov was 380,000 for UFC 226, headlined by Stipe Miocic versus Daniel Cormier.

#21: David Luiz

Sport: Soccer

Country: Brazil

Salary: $7.9 million

Endorsements: $1.1 million

Total social media influence: 52.3 million

Facebook likes: 25.2 million

Twitter followers: 8.8 million

Instagram followers: 18.3 million

The world's 14th biggest soccer transfer in the world did not involve a creative attacker like the previous 13 had. David Luiz, the frizzy-haired defender from Brazil, garnered a $66 million transfer from Chelsea to Paris Saint-Germain and back again for a little more than $50 million.

He always has been enigmatic, on and off the pitch. His daring talent on the field has left fans agape at times.

His social media game can be eclectic as well. Recent posts from the 30-year-old Brazilian inclue feeding a baby bear and a white tiger while vacationing in Dubai with Chelsea teammate and fellow Brazilian Willian.

#20: Gerard Pique

Sport: Soccer

Country: Spain

Salary: $6.7 million

Endorsements: $3.0 million

Total social media influence: 54.5 million

Facebook likes: 18.9 million

Twitter followers: 18.9 million

Instagram followers: 16.7 million

When Gerard Pique announced on social media that he would retire from playing soccer on the international stage and focus on playing for Barcelona’s team, his wife, world famous Colombian singer Shakira, responded with an Instagram post that read: “Love finished the stage that we will always keep in our hearts. One of the happiest moments of my life has been seeing you win 2010 with the national team and celebrate with Spain champions.”

Shakira, who has a combined 200 million followers, and Pique reportedly met in 2010, when he appeared in the music video for Shakira's "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)," the official song of the World Cup that year. Shortly after Spain’s win, the two began dating and have been together ever since.

Recently, Pique has been keeping fans up to date on his life on Instagram — documenting fun moments with the couple’s two children, Milan and Sasha — while Shakira travels the world on the "El Dorado" world tour.

#19: Wayne Rooney

Sport: Soccer

Country: England

Salary: $30 million (includes Everton and D.C. United salaries)

Endorsements: $7.3 million

Total social media influence: 55 million

Facebook likes: 24.9 million

Twitter followers: 17.1 million

Instagram followers: 13 million

Wayne Rooney surprised the soccer world by joining D.C. United, but the former Manchester United and Everton star is taking advantage of his new opportunity. And he still knows how to go viral. Just check out some of the Instagram videos on Rooney’s page, which have been viewed millions of times.

#18: Karim Benzema

Sport: Soccer

Country: France

Salary: $10.5 million

Endorsements: $3.8 million

Total social media influence: 56.7 million

Facebook likes: 22.9 million

Twitter followers: 8.9 million

Instagram followers: 24.9 million

Karim Benzema recently took to Twitter to ask French Football Federation president Noel Le Graet to "forget" and "leave me alone" after Le Graet's comments to a French newspaper intimated that Benzema’s career with Les Bleus was over due to a loss of form.

Benzema, 30, is ninth on the scoring list with the French national team — 27 goals in 81 appearances — but he has not been featured since scoring two goals in a 4-0 friendly over Armenia in Nice in October 2015.

#17: Marcelo Vieira Jr.

Sport: Soccer

Country: Brazil

Salary: $5.2 million

Endorsements: $6.3 million

Total social media influence: 63.9 million

Facebook likes: 19.8 million

Twitter followers: 11.1 million

Instagram followers: 33 million

Real Madrid star Marcelo Vieira’s fame became a bit more infamous after the 30-year-old Brazilian defender admitted to tax fraud and accepted a four-month suspended jail sentence. Vieira reportedly defrauded the Spanish authorities of approximately $560,000 by using foreign firms to handle his earnings. He will be required to pay an $868,000 fine.

He is one of several foreign soccer players who have played in La Liga to be pursued by the Spanish tax authorities, joing Lionel Messi, Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Marcelo admitted to fraud and received a reduced prison term and fine as part of a deal with prosecutors. Under Spanish law, a two-year sentence for a first offense can be served on probation, so he is unlikely to spend time in jail.

Crime doesn't pay, but it hasn't seemed to hurt Vieira's popularity, as his social follower numbers have increased since the news went public.

#16: Luis Suarez

Sport: Soccer

Country: Uruguay

Salary: $19.9 million

Endorsements: $7.5 million

Total social media influence: 64.5 million

Facebook likes: 18.8 million

Twitter followers: 15.2 million

Instagram followers: 30.5 million

Barcelona may have started plans for replacing one of its biggest stars, but it has not stopped Suarez from building a massive social media following, even though he exited the 2014 World Cup in a controversial way after FIFA banned him due to his infamous bite on an Italian opponent (one of many in his career).

The Uruguayan forward, whose contract with Barcelona runs through July 2021 and pays him $20 million in salary and bonus, has grown in popularity either because of the vampire-like actions or in spite of them.

Either way, it did not stop Adidas from launching an alphaskin collection with the forward in 2017. In fact, the iconic shoe company playfully toyed with the biting incident by using Suarez alongside Lionel Messi in the “Cold Blooded” collection.

#15: John Cena

Sport: Wrestling

Country: USA

Salary: $8.5 million

Endorsements: $46 million (includes earnings from movies)

Total social media influence: 66.4 million

Facebook likes: 44.5 million

Twitter followers: 11.5 million

Instagram followers: 10.4 million

The WWE superstar-turned-actor-turned-author has a far different presence on Twitter and Facebook than he does on Instagram.

His posts on the former two platforms are a narration of what is currently happening in his life. For example, many of his recent posts highlight the release of his debut children’s book named "Elbow Grease."

His Instagram posts are a variety of pop culture that includes everything from Biggie Smalls to Rodney Dangerfield to Mahatma Gandhi.

#14: Sergio Ramos

Sport: Soccer

Country: Spain

Salary: $13.7 million

Endorsements: $3.5 million

Total social media influence: 67.2 million

Facebook likes: 23.6 million

Twitter followers: 15.6 million

Instagram followers: 28 million

Sergio Ramos has not changed his football club since the 2005-06 season when he was transferred to Real Madrid shortly after his debut with Sevilla. His contract was last extended for a period of five years in 2015 by Real Madrid, one of the most iconic franchises in the sport.

Ramos is a big name in the world of football due to his play on the field and his connection with the La Liga club, enabling him to be the ambassador of various global brands while seeing his net worth increase by more than 150 percent in the past five years.

He currently endorses Nike, Hugo Boss, Pepsi and Gatorade.

#13: Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Sport: Soccer

Country: Sweden

Salary: $1.4 million

Endorsements: $6.1 million

Total social media influence: 67.4 million

Facebook likes: 26.5 million

Twitter followers: 5.5 million

Instagram followers: 35.4 million

Although Zlatan Ibrahimovic and social media were made for each other, the exuberant Swedish soccer striker used traditional media to announce his arrival to Los Angeles.

A day after reports leaked that the Los Angeles Galaxy had inked the 6-foot-5, long-haired legend to a two-year deal, a full-page ad appeared in the Los Angeles Times that simply read: "Dear Los Angeles, You’re welcome."

#12: Sachin Tendulkar

Sport: Cricket

Country: India

Salary: $2.1 million (retired in 2013)

Endorsements: $9 million

Total social media influence: 67.6 million

Facebook likes: 28.6 million

Twitter followers: 27.5 million

Instagram followers: 11.5 million

The Indian cricketer retired in 2013, yet he continues to be a marketing force. Regarded as one of the greatest batsmen of all time, the 45-year-old former captain of the Indian national team has endorsement deals with Adidas, Coca-Cola, Future Group, Toshiba, Aviva India and other entities.

His posts on social media of him doing charitable work and civil service receive hundreds of thousands of likes.

#11: Mesut Ozil

Sport: Soccer

Country: Germany

Salary: $20 million

Endorsements: $7 million

Total social media influence: 73.1 million

Facebook likes: 31.4 million

Twitter followers: 23.6 million

Instagram followers: 18.1 million

Mesut Ozil, who is considered to be one of the best soccer players in the world, uses his social media presence to connect with a multitude of different people. His posts of him interacting with fans often receive hundreds of thousands more likes than the ones of him competing on the pitch.

A recent Instagram post announcing that the Arsenal star had been named an ambassador for the Rays of Sunshine charity organization received close to a million likes within 24 hours.

#10: Andres Iniesta

Sport: Soccer

Country: Spain

Salary: $30 million

Endorsements: $3.7 million

Total social media influence: 76.4 million

Facebook likes: 26.9 million

Twitter followers: 23.7 million

Instagram followers: 25.8 million

Former FC Barcelona captain Andres Iniesta, now with Japanese side Vissel Kobe, is putting his large presence on social media to good use.

He posted images to his Instagram account an image of him biting into a plastic bag with the comment that states his intention to raise awareness to the contamination of the planet through plastic. He joined the movement after receiving the challenge from another former Barça player, his good friend David Villa, who now plays his football for New York City in the United States.

The Spanish midfielder Iniesta quickly responded, uploading images to his social media account with the hashtag #IchoosePlanet, the option which he opted for out of #PlanetOrPlastic.

#9: Gareth Bale

Sport: Soccer

Country: Wales

Salary: $28.6 million

Endorsements: $6 million

Total social media influence: 83.1 million

Facebook likes: 28.6 million

Twitter followers: 17.5 million

Instagram followers: 37 million

Real Madrid’s star player from Wales may not be known as much as his soccer peers like Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi, but Bale is considered one of the best in the game.

He was the 24th highest-paid athlete in 2017, according to Forbes. When you combine his salary and endorsements, the Welshman earned $34 million.

The 29-year-old Bale is one of the faces of Adidas and reportedly signed a six-year new deal with the company in 2014. He also has deals with Nissan, Foot Locker, Lucozade and EA Sports, so he isn’t short on work off the pitch.

As Messi and Ronaldo move deeper into their 30s, Bale’s stock could rise. And with transfer speculation already rising, a new bumper contract at Madrid or elsewhere may not be far away.

#8: Virat Kohli

Sport: Cricket

Country: India

Salary: $4 million

Endorsements: $19 million

Total social media influence: 88.7 million

Facebook likes: 37.3 million

Twitter followers: 27.1 million

Instagram followers: 24.3 million

While Virat Kohli is a relative unknown in America, his expertise on the cricket field has helped him become one of the most popular athletes in the world.

His popularity across the rest of the globe has enabled him to make approximately $20 million from brand endorsements with 19 companies, and he found himself a place on the 2018 list of Forbes world’s highest-paid athletes.

#7: James Rodriguez

Sport: Soccer

Country: Colombia

Salary: $24.5 million

Endorsements: $6 million

Total social media influence: 90.9 million

Facebook likes: 32.8 million

Twitter followers: 17.8 million

Instagram followers: 40.3 million

The 27-year-old striker turned his Golden Boot award in the 2014 World Cup into a $100 million transfer to Real Madrid, one of the most popular sports teams in the world. The La Liga franchise has a combined 200 million followers across the social media channels, which has helped Rodriguez gain a larger social media presence.

It’s also helped him in the marketing realm. Shortly after signing with Real Madrid, Calvin Klein featured the Colombian native in the underwear company’s fall 2016 ad campaign.

His subsequent ads rivaled those of Cristiano Ronaldo and announced Rodriquez to the world as a global marketer.

#6: David Beckham

Sport: Soccer

Country: England

Salary: $25 million (in dividends from Beckham Brand Holdings)

Endorsements: $55 million

Total social media influence: 105.1 million

Facebook likes: 53.4 million

Twitter followers: Does not have one.

Instagram followers: 51.7 million

The former England captain retired in May 2013 after winning 19 major trophies over a 20-year span. Although he hung up his cleats five years ago, Beckham is still one of the most recognizable faces in sports.

The first English player to win league titles in four countries (England, Spain, U.S. and France), he is considered the first modern-day superstar in the game.

As one of the world's top sports influencers, he shares images of his life and soccer on Instagram, along with other sports-related content. He’s collaborated with several major brands (including underwear and cologne companies) and charitable causes and he is about to embark on his current role as president of Inter Miami CF.

#5: LeBron James

Sport: Basketball

Country: United States

Salary: $35.6 million

Endorsements: $55 million

Total social media influence: 108.2 million

Facebook likes: 23.2 million

Twitter followers: 41.9 million

Instagram followers: 43.1 million

By the end of LeBron James' current deal with the Los Angeles Lakers (four years, $153.3 million), the former Cavs and Heat player will have earned $387 million on the court, an NBA record.

LeBron, who also makes approximately $55 million off the court in endorsements and in other financial deals, brings in an estimated $86 million annually, second only to Ronaldo.

LeBron's social following isn’t as large as some of the other athletes on this list, but his influence is much greater. Since taking his skills to Hollywood, television and movie deals involving his production company, Springhill Entertainment, have been a constant mention across his socials.

Lastly, legal document website FormSwift estimates that James’ move to Los Angeles would create 2,989 new jobs and have a five-year local economic impact of $396,985,680.

#4: Lionel Messi

Sport: Soccer

Country: Argentina

Salary: $84 million

Endorsements: $30 million

Total social media influence: 189.9 million

Facebook likes: 89.9 million

Twitter followers: None (does not have one)

Instagram followers: 100 million

When the Argentine star started a Facebook page in 2011, he got nearly 7 million likes within seven hours. Seven years later, Messi has close to 90 million likes and nearly 89 million Facebook followers.

The FC Barcelona striker, who refuses to start a Twitter account, has reached 100 million Instagram followers. His training photos and videos of his three sons typically receive millions of likes.

#3: Dwayne Johnson (The Rock)

Sport: Wrestling

Country: USA

Salary: $124 million

Endorsements: $100 million

Total social media influence: 190.1 million

Facebook likes: 58 million

Twitter followers: 13.1 million

Instagram followers: 119 million

Whether it’s wrestling or Hollywood or social media, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson continues to shine as a bigger-than-life character.

The 46-year-old former WWE wrestler made Hollywood history in 2002 when he was paid $5.5 million for his leading role in "The Scorpion King," putting him in the Guinness World Records for the highest salary for a first-time leading man.

He broke another Hollywood record when he made $124 million between June 2017 and June 2018, ranking him Forbes' fifth top-paid celebrity for the year. It also was the most money a person has ever made in acting in a one-year span.

Now, he’s changing the social media game, commanding a separate seven-figure deal with every movie in which he appears.

In short, he becomes the marketing force for studios as a one-man band.

Do you smell what The Rock is cooking? Over 100 million Instagram followers do.

#2: Neymar Jr.

Sport: Soccer

Country: Brazil

Salary: $73 million

Endorsements: $17 million

Total social media influence: 206.3 million

Facebook likes: 60.8 million

Twitter followers: 41.5 million

Instagram followers: 104 million

The Brazilian forward moved past Leo Messi as the second-most followed athlete in the world on Instagram during the 2018 World Cup in which Neymar was mocked across the social media platforms for his rolling antics during a 2-0 win over Mexico.

Despite the global ridicule, Neymar continues to rise in popularity with four million more Instagram followers than Messi.

Neymar transferred from Real Madrid to PSG in 2017 and signed a five-year deal worth almost $600 million with the Ligue 1 powerhouse.

Neymar is worth almost $90 million, with $73 million coming from salary and winnings along with $17 from endorsements.

#1: Cristiano Ronaldo

Sport: Soccer

Country: Portugal

Salary: $64 million

Endorsements: $32 million

Total social media influence: 342.4 million

Facebook likes: 122.7 million

Twitter followers: 75.7 million

Instagram followers: 144 million

The former Manchester United and Real Madrid star is the most followed athlete in the world. In fact, on Instagram, Ronaldo is the most followed celebrity in the world — passing musician Selena Gomez by 200,000 followers at the end of October 2018.

All of that influence pays. According to D’Marie Analytics, a social media research firm, a post by Ronaldo across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter is worth approximately $730,000 in branding and marketing.

Furthermore, when the 33-year-old Portuguese striker signed a multimillion dollar deal with Juventus in July 2018, the team sold 520,000 Adidas jerseys bearing his name within a 24-hour window, bringing in approximately $64 million.