Kylian Mbappé reportedly earns €3 million a year through brand deals and promotions linked to fake social media followers. Despite not being real fans, these followers boost his influence online, helping him secure major endorsement money every year.
How Fake Followers Are Earning Football Stars Big Money
Mbappe Tops the List with Millions from Instagram
Kylian Mbappe, one of the world’s most famous footballers, earns about 3 million euros a year through fake Instagram followers. That’s over 410 million Bangladeshi taka. The 25-year-old French forward, who is expected to join Real Madrid, benefits hugely from his massive online presence.
Mbappe has more than 124 million followers on Instagram. Out of that number, around 26 million are fake — meaning they are bots, inactive accounts, or purchased followers. These fake followers make up about 21.23% of his total fanbase. Even though they aren’t real people, these accounts still add value to his posts.
According to an analysis by Oddspedia, a sports data website, if Mbappe posts once after each game, he could earn close to €2.8 million in a season. For each post, he might make about €75,000 just from the reach boosted by fake followers.
Real Madrid Dominates the Fake Follower List
Mbappe isn’t alone. Vinicius Junior, another Real Madrid star, is second on the list. He has around 53 million Instagram followers, and about 11 million (or 20.71%) are fake. These followers help him earn an estimated €1.2 million a year.
Third on the list is Jude Bellingham, also from Real Madrid. His earnings from Instagram are just under €1 million a year.
In fact, out of the top 10 La Liga players earning money through fake followers, six are from Real Madrid. Three are from Barcelona, and one is from Atletico Madrid.
Barcelona’s young talent Lamine Yamal is also on the list. The 18-year-old has 32.9 million followers, of which 7.9 million (25.72%) are fake. If he posts after each match, he could earn around €850,000 in a year.
Other Real Madrid players like Rodrigo, Federico Valverde, and Eduardo Camavinga are also earning large amounts from their Instagram presence boosted by fake followers.
What Are Fake Followers and Why Do They Matter?
Fake followers are Instagram accounts that look real but are not active or genuine. These include:
- Bot accounts created automatically
- Real human accounts that are inactive
- Purchased or fake accounts set up to increase numbers
These followers can make a celebrity look more popular than they really are. While the football stars themselves might not be responsible for getting these fake followers, their marketing teams or managers may buy them to boost the player’s online brand.
The higher the number of followers — real or fake — the more money athletes can earn from sponsored posts and brand deals. Companies look at follower counts when deciding who to work with, even if a chunk of those followers are fake.
Fake followers can be spotted using advanced tools and algorithms. Many social media experts and agencies use these tools to check whether someone’s audience is real.
Conclusion
Even though fake followers aren’t real fans, they play a big role in boosting the income of top football stars. Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and other La Liga players earn hundreds of thousands — even millions — thanks to these fake accounts.
This shows how powerful social media has become in the world of sports. For players like Mbappe, it’s not just about goals and trophies anymore — it’s also about likes, followers, and online income.