He amassed over 30 million followers. Who is the player who took down the Fuzinha legend on Instagram?

Cape Verde national team goalkeeper VozinyaOne of the most notable surprises of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, when he went from an unknown player at international level to a social media phenomenon thanks to his remarkable performances at the tournament, the top spot on the list of most followed players on Instagram went to another star.

According to Sportico, the 40-year-old Fosinha’s followers went from around 30,000 before the tournament to 29.43 million after it ended, in one of the World Cup’s most famous success stories outside the green box.

Despite this exceptional growth, Norway’s top goalscorer Erling Haaland topped the list after adding 32.1 million followers to his account, bringing his total followers from 40.6 million to 72.7 million.

The grid is highlighted RCC: The French outlet said the Manchester City striker’s popularity has grown significantly in the US, having been largely unknown to American fans prior to the tournament, while his cheerful personality and quirky Instagram posts helped attract millions of new followers.

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Among the most popular posts was his appearance after returning to Norway, leaving the plane with a stuffed raccoon under his arm while the animal held an empty bottle, a shot that caused widespread reaction on social media platforms.

The list also saw a French presence in the form of Bayern Munich star Michael Olisse, whose follower count more than doubled following his brilliance with France at the World Cup, increasing his number from 5.2 million to 10.9 million, an increase of 5.7 million.

Ranking of footballers with the most new followers on Instagram during the 2026 World Cup according to the Sportico website:

Erling Haaland (Norway): +32.1 million followers

Fosinha (Cape Verde) +29.4 million

Jude Bellingham (England): +12 million

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal): +11.4 million

Lamine Yamal (Spain): +11 million

Neymar (Brazil): +7.7 million

Lionel Messi (Argentina): +7.5 million

Gilberto Moura (Mexico): +6.6 million

Michael Olissey (France): +5.7 million

Indrik (Brazil): +5.6 million