Lionel Messi is a mega influencer by social media standards, but he’s so far from being a typical "influencer" — even with 500 million Instagram followers at his fingertips.

“500 million, thanks for always being there,” Messi said March 1 after reaching the milestone.

Messi is the most followed person on Instagram living in the United States as the star of Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami.

Sure, Cristiano Ronaldo’s 623 million followers will be amused about Messi just catching up. They’re the two most followed people in the world, and the debate between them as soccer’s best player has fueled their following.

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But Messi’s rise to 500 million has coincided with momentum following his thrilling World Cup victory in December 2022 and his successful move to MLS and media partnership with Apple TV last summer, but it's also inextricably linked to who he is as a person.

“Messi, if you go through his Instagram page it’s pictures of him and his kids, and the odd ad here or there, and the odd like, 'I went out to dinner with David Beckham the other night,' " said Chris Wittyngham, soccer commentator for Apple TV and Paramount Plus. "He doesn’t try being this big, global personality. I think if it was up to him, he wouldn't even have any of these things. He would just go and play soccer, and go home, hang out with his family, and that would be his life.

"The fact he's still like this enormous figure, I think just shows what a transcendent player he is, because you can’t get enough of this human being, who is this unbelievable force to the sport.”

How impactful is Lionel Messi’s Instagram account?

The most-liked Instagram post in history is Messi hoisting the World Cup trophy after the legendary final between Argentina and France. It drew millions more followers, fueling his rise above Selena Gomez, Kylie Jenner, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, Ariana Grande and Kim Kardashian.

Messi’s impact as a marketer can’t be denied, and its why brands covet his exposure. A sponsored post from Messi’s Instagram account earns at least $2.5 million, social media company Hopper HQ reported last July when Messi had more than 479 million followers.

Messi’s social media channels created $52 million in adjusted ad value since last March — 2.5x more value than the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs — according to KORE, a data and intelligence platform for sports teams, brands and organizations globally. 

That value is directed toward a variety of brands: adidas; Apple TV; Royal Carribean; Michelob Ultra; Visit Saudi; his own lifestyle brand The Messi Store; and Join the Planet, an organization he teamed up with to fight climate change.

“Messi reaching 500 million followers (and growing) reflects his generational impact, not just on soccer but on the entire sports world,” said Chris Murphy, senior vice president of brand marketing at adidas. “His generational talent, exceptional personality and authenticity on and off the pitch ultimately contribute to his icon status and following on social media.”

The personality part makes him a safe bet for brands, too.

Hard Rock International CEO Jim Allen will always think of Messi in a different light.

When Hard Rock introduced their Messi burger and Messi chicken sandwich last October, Messi stayed past 11 p.m. to play soccer with nearly 200 children on Inter Miami’s home field during their launch event.

“That’s a memory they’re going to have the rest of their life. And that’s because who he is, and that’s why we are so fortunate to have the relationship we have with him,” Allen said. “He sends off this persona that he does not make himself feel better or bigger than anyone. He’s just so down to earth.

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"He certainly knows he’s the greatest player of all time, but yet at the same time he’s so humble about it. That’s the genuine side that very few celebrities enjoy the same type of respect and notoriety at this level.”

The one Messi partnership the public questioned was Visit Saudi. Messi turned down a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal before joining Inter Miami, but he still makes millions from the Saudis, who face widespread criticism for human rights violations.

His contract with the country's tourism authority, obtained by the New York Times, shows an earning potential of about $25 million over three years "for little actual work," according to the NYT article. He shares images on social media of vacations there with his family. But he's also not allowed to say anything that might "tarnish" Saudi Arabia.

How Messi’s World Cup win boosted his brand

Nearly 1.5 billion people worldwide tuned into the 2022 World Cup final to see if Messi would arrive at his crowning achievement and complete his résumé beyond any asterisk or argument.

The final was a thriller, and may be remembered as the greatest final of all-time. Messi scored twice, Kylian Mbappé scored a hat trick and Argentina ultimately outlasted France in penalty kicks to win.

Messi had won so much in Barcelona — 10 La Liga titles and four Champions League crowns — but experienced heartbreak after heartbreak with Argentina. He suffered early exits in four previous World Cups, including a loss to Germany in the 2014 final. He even retired after the second straight loss to Chile in the Copa América final because the burden was too much.

“Part of the story with Messi is his rare failures, and having to struggle his entire career waiting for that big moment,” Wittyngham said.

Not only did Messi’s World Cup win cement his legacy. It also paved the way for him to successfully diverge from continuing his career in Europe.

Joining MLS and partnering with Apple would have been viewed in an entirely different scope had Messi not won. And his decision to play in the United States has only increased his impact, influence and his marketability, said Anjali Bal, an associate professor at Babson college specializing in Sports and entertainment marketing.

“I think it’s really interesting by coming to a lower-viewed league, he’s managed to increase his influence to a world scale, as well as his bottom line,” Bal said. “You don’t go from NBA to another league and expect your influence in the sport is going to increase, but what’s happened here is exactly that, which I think is huge.”

Why are Messi and Ronaldo more famous than Taylor Swift, the Kardashians and The Rock?

Plain and simple: While pop culture is America’s great export, soccer is for so many other countries in the world, Wittyngham said.

“Those two people represent excellence in the sport that is the most important thing in probably the biggest number of lives around the world, right?” Wittyngham said of Messi and Ronaldo. “There's no movie. There's no TV show. There is no song. There is nothing that is as big as football is for the greatest majority of people in the world.

"It’s almost like I have to follow (one or the other) on Instagram so that he can be considered the GOAT because he has more followers than the other — like, everything is viewed through that prism.”

More of the world has watched Messi and Ronaldo play soccer, while Americans have watched football and basketball. But again, what sets Messi apart from Ronaldo and the others is his World Cup title and his character.

Messi has the world at his fingertips, and not much interest to be showy on social media.

“There’s only one of him and will only ever be one of him. I think that's what people can see,” Inter Miami goalie Drake Callender said of Messi.

“And I think that's what makes experiencing, watching him, playing with him special. I think that's what people can connect to.”