In the world of soccer, certain names resonate with the sport’s glory like no other. Lionel Messi is surely one of those names. The Argentine recently secured his record eighth Ballon d’Or win. It was a momentous achievement, celebrated by fans and fellow players. However, despite this historic accolade, Messi has been pipped by his club’s owner David Beckham in another race.

In an interesting analysis, it was revealed that David Beckham has moved ahead of the 8x-Ballon d’Or winner in the race for social media supremacy. Let’s delve deep and unveil the charts for this intriguing social media race.

David Beckham gets past Lionel Messi in the social media race

While Lionel Messi was making headlines ahead of his historic Ballon d’Or victory, the former Manchester United legend and Inter Miami’s owner David Beckham quietly stole the limelight in a different area. As per the analytical data provided by Football Benchmark, David Beckham gained more social media followers than Lionel Messi between September 24 and October 24. Considering Messi’s global appeal and stardom, this revelation might baffle some.

During the designated period, Lionel Messi amassed 1.9 million followers with +0.3% follower growth. But, it was David Beckham who cruised past Messi and emerged as a runner-up in the social media follower race, with 2.2 million followers acquired at an impressive 1.4% growth rate. Sitting at the top of the list was none other than Cristiano Ronaldo, the world’s most-followed person on Instagram, who gained 4.1 million followers during the same timeframe. However, it’s David Beckham’s surge that raises eyebrows.

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However, the reason behind Beckham’s social media dominance during this time frame can be pointed out to the release of his highly anticipated Netflix documentary series, ‘Beckham.’ The 4-part series, released on Oct. 4th, offered viewers a rare glimpse into the life and illustrious career of David Beckham, from his early days at Manchester United to his journey as a global football icon and entrepreneur. The series was an instant hit worldwide and received rave reviews from critics and fans. It provided a social media boost that allowed Beckham to go past Lionel Messi and outshine him.

Beckham’s Netflix Documentary: A Game-Changer

As the documentary was released on Netflix, it became a sensation. ‘Beckham’ captivated the hearts of both soccer and non-soccer fans and enthusiasts. The impact of the documentary launch was quite profound, as it led to an astonishing surge in Beckham’s follower count. Within days of the trailer launch, David Beckham gained half a million followers on his social accounts. Further, the premier week of the documentary saw a record-breaking 3.8 million viewers tuning in to see David Beckham’s legacy.

In a social battle between a soccer legend and the historic Ballon d’Or winner, evidently, Beckham’s Netflix documentary emerged as a game changer. While Lionel Messi’s Ballon d’Or triumph might have dominated the headlines in the soccer world, it was the former Manchester United legend’s story that conquered the digital world. As the world continues to watch the hit documentary series, all eyes will be on David Beckham’s next move.

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