Portugal’s national football team has suffered a massive drop in social media followers. Millions of people unfollowed the accounts following a high-profile scandal and Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure from the national squad.
In just 24 hours after the star forward’s departure, the team’s Instagram account lost approximately 9 million followers. Before Ronaldo left, the official Portuguese national team account had 32.4 million followers; afterward, that number fell to 23.5 million. The total number of followers lost across various platforms continues to rise.
Ronaldo’s departure followed tensions with the coaching staff over missed matches. Fans worldwide reacted strongly to the player’s exit, with many openly admitting they followed the account because of Ronaldo rather than the national team itself.
The 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo holds the national team records for both goals and appearances, with 144 goals in 234 matches.
Ronaldo left the Portuguese national team’s training camp earlier this week ahead of a UEFA Nations League match against Denmark. The 41-year-old forward announced his decision on Instagram and promised to explain the reasons for his departure later.
