In Just 24 Hours, Cristiano Ronaldo Becomes a YouTube Star

Cristiano Ronaldo, the renowned soccer star, is now making waves as a YouTube sensation. Since launching his “UR Cristiano” channel on July 8 and posting his first video this Wednesday, the Portuguese footballer has amassed over 24 million subscribers.

Ronaldo, who currently plays for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, celebrated his swift rise in a recent Instagram post. In the video, he proudly displayed a golden YouTube plaque, awarded to creators who hit important subscriber milestones. By Thursday, Ronaldo had posted 19 videos, including seven Reels and 12 traditional clips. These brief videos, mostly under three minutes, offer glimpses into Ronaldo’s life, his family, and his everyday activities.

He had hinted at his new YouTube venture with an Instagram post, teasing his followers with a “big surprise.” Outside of YouTube, Ronaldo’s social media presence is enormous. His X account boasts over 112.6 million followers, his Facebook page has 170 million followers, and his Instagram account leads with a staggering 636 million followers, trailing only slightly behind Instagram’s official account. Lionel Messi, another soccer icon, is the third most-followed individual on Instagram.

Pedro Pina, YouTube’s vice president for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, expressed enthusiasm about Ronaldo’s channel. “Collaborating with football legend Cristiano Ronaldo has been a passion project, and seeing his channel’s explosive growth is thrilling,” Pina said. He added, “This is just the beginning of an exciting journey, and we’re excited to see where it leads.”

While Ronaldo joins a growing list of athletes on YouTube, including Stephen Curry and Cam Newton, his subscriber count is yet to surpass the likes of top creators such as MrBeast, who holds the platform’s top spot with 311 million subscribers.