He is one of the greatest players in history and now Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo reigns supreme not only on the football pitch but in the digital world too.
The 32-year-old Ronaldo has been named the most influential footballer online in China, beating rivals such as teammate Gareth Bale and England captain Wayne Rooney to the top spot.
With around 806 million monthly active users on social media and a government edict to make the country a worldwide force in football, China is increasingly regarded as an important economic market for European clubs.
Shanghai-based consultancy Mailman’s sixth annual Red Card report found Ronaldo’s online engagement in China to be 10 times higher than any other footballer, while he is also among the top five most dominant world sports stars in the country.
The report analyzes the influence of 53 European clubs and their players in the country using eight different metrics, such as followers, engagement and digital presence.
The report also concluded that English Premier League side Manchester United has this year toppled Bayern Munich as the most influential team, while Germany’s Bundesliga — the only league to launch a live stream in China — is deemed to have the best digital presence of all the European leagues.
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