Cristiano Ronaldo told why NBA icon Michael Jordan would have 'DOUBLED' Al-Nassr star's record-breaking social media following by ex-Chicago Bulls team-mate Scottie Pippin

Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo boasts the most followers on Instagram at 648 million, while his YouTube channel smashed records in 2024 when racing to 1m subscribers and moving on to over 73m. Those impressive numbers allow Ronaldo to generate huge figures on the advertising revenue front.

Ronaldo continues to set the standard in football circles and across the sporting spectrum, but the evergreen Al-Nassr superstar has been told that Chicago Bulls icon Jordan would have been even more popular had social media been a thing in his heyday.

Jordan’s former team-mate, Scottie Pippen, has told the PBD Podcast: “Yeah, I mean hey, it would have been different. Looking at these numbers, you just don’t know. Being a player in the ‘90s, we didn’t grow up in this social media era, but for who you’re talking about? He’s one of the greatest players, greatest athletes in the world, and 648 million [Ronaldo’s followers] speaks for itself.”

Pippen went on to say of the interest that Jordan would have attracted from a global audience: “I think he would have probably doubled that, I’m going to be honest. Basketball in the ‘90s, when it first jumped off, just having social media back then would have been amazing.”

Jordan broke down barriers and set the standard for prominent figures in sport, with his groundbreaking deal with Nike in 1984 allowing the likes of Ronaldo to follow in his illustrious footsteps. The Jordan brand continues to be involved in elite sport, with Paris Saint-Germain having a deal in place there, while CR7 has transcended his chosen profession.