India, July 22 -- The FIFA World Cup 2026 was not just a football tournament. It was a full-blown social media phenomenon, one that went beyond the stunning goals, rough tackles, and sportsmanship. During the tournament, Instagram blew up with trending reels, hilarious memes and viral moments happening on and off the pitch. Winning matches was not the only victory - many players also walked away with millions of new followers, cementing their place among the most-followed footballers on Instagram after the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Erling Haaland dominated social media feeds, Jude Bellingham won over fans who could not care less about football, and Lamine Yamal's little brother became an unlikely fan favourite alongside him. Add to that Moham...