Female athletes all over the world serve as role models for those who want to be the best at the sport they love. They are global ambassadors who influence how the next generation thinks, reacts, and aspires.
That said, we’ve compiled a list of the TOP ten most followed female athletes on Instagram so you can see the potential of their influence on a global scale.
Top 10 most followed female athletes on social media
Ronda Rousey
- WWE Professional wrestler, former judo and UFC mixed martial artist
- Born: February 1, 1987 (age 35 years), Riverside, California, US
- Instagram followers: 15 million
- Facebook followers: 16 million
- Twitter followers: 3.4 million
- Instagram profile: @rondarousey
Ronda Rousey is one of those amazing sports athletes that have made a name for themselves in more than one discipline.
She is a former Judo Olympic medallist, a former UFC champion, and currently one of the biggest stars in WWE. If that’s not a stellar resume, we don’t know what is.
On this top 10 list, Ronda Rousey is the female athlete with the most Instagram following and it’s no wonder! Her achievements, appearance, and personality make her stand out wherever she’s present.
Serena Williams
- Professional tennis player
- Born: September 26, 1981 (age 40 years), Saginaw, Michigan, US
- Instagram followers: 14.6 million
- Facebook followers: 7.5 million
- Twitter followers: 10.7 million
- Instagram profile: @serenawilliams
Using the words “women” and “success” in the same sentence? Then you must be referring to the one and only Serena Williams, the most successful and highest-paid female tennis player in history.
By 2021, the tennis star has invested in 66 startups, launched a clothing line, and had nearly 20 corporate partners, and her $94 million in career prize money is more than double that of any other female athlete.
Nikki Bella
- Former WWE professional wrestler, Judge on AGT: Extreme
- Born: November 21, 1983 (age 38 years), San Diego, California, US
- Instagram followers: 10.3 million
- Facebook followers: 8.8 million
- Twitter followers: 3.5 million
- Instagram profile: @thenikkibella
If you had to choose a popularity club, you’d want to be on Team Nikki Bella! As a professional wrestler, she has managed to be a part of the most popular wrestling teams in the WWE history and capitalized on her success to become a best-selling author and a successful entrepreneur alongside her sister, Brie Bella.
Success can sometimes come as a result of a snowball effect and Nikki Bella is the perfect example.
Alex Morgan
- Professional soccer player for San Diego Wave FC and the USA women’s national soccer team
- Born: July 2, 1989 (age 32 years), San Dimas, California, US
- Instagram followers: 9.4 million
- Facebook followers: 6.3 million
- Twitter followers: 3.8 million
- Instagram profile: @alexmorgan13
Alex Morgan is one of the most popular and hottest female soccer players in the world. Her followers can watch her perform on the field whenever her team plays in the National Women’s Soccer League and she really doesn’t need any other platform to shine.
Like all celebrities, she has loads of endorsement deals with various sponsors, which only serve to increase popularity, fame, and, of course, her bank account.
Sania Mirza
- Former professional tennis player
- Born: November 15, 1986 (age 35 years), Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
- Instagram followers: 9.1 million
- Facebook followers: 16 million
- Twitter followers: 9.1 million
- Instagram profile: @mirzasaniar
Sania Mirza is a leading female personality in India, and not just in tennis.
She is the first Indian woman to win a WTA title, reach No. 1 in WTA doubles rankings, break into the top 30 in WTA singles rankings, and win 6 Grand Slam tournaments in her career.
She was named in Time magazine’s list of the world’s 100 most influential people in 2016 which comes as no surprise given that she is one of the most followed female athletes.
Brie Bella
- Former WWE professional wrestler
- Born: November 21, 1983 (age 38 years), San Diego, California, US
- Instagram followers: 8.3 million
- Facebook followers: 5.6 million
- Twitter followers: 3.5 million
- Instagram profile: @thebriebella
One of the most popular influencers on social media, Brie, her twin sister Nikki, were signed by WWE in 2007 and debuted as The Bella Twins. They have a well-known YouTube channel, a body and beauty line, and a wine label. They make a great team.
Professional wrestling is part of the Bella household, as her husband, Bryan Lloyd Danielson, is also an American professional wrestler. She is also a WWE ambassador.
Simone Biles
- USA artistic gymnast
- Born: March 14, 1997 (age 25 years), Columbus, Ohio, US
- Instagram followers: 6.9 million
- Facebook followers: 1.6 million
- Twitter followers: 1.7 million
- Instagram profile: @simonebiles
Simone Arianne Biles currently holds a total of 32 Olympic and World Championship medals and is regarded as one of the best female gymnasts in history.
Biles was named the most dominant athlete of 2018 by ESPN The Magazine. Among the many honours this 25-year-old has received, she was named to the Time 100, an annual list of the world’s 100 most influential people, in September 2021.
Saraya Bevis
- Former WAV and WWE professional wrestler
- Born: August 17, 1992 (age 29 years), Norwich, UK
- Instagram followers: 6 million
- Facebook followers: 3.6 million
- Twitter followers: 2.6 million
- Instagram profile: @realpaigewwe
Saraya-Jade Bevis, known as Paige, is now a brand ambassador for one of the world’s leading professional wrestling organisations – the WWE. He has also ventured into the world of fashion, as she has launched an online clothing store and her own makeup line.
Although she has retired, her fame and star value have not diminished, and she is regarded as one of the most prominent female British athletes around the world.
Natalie Eva Marie
- Former WWE professional wrestler
- Born: September 19, 1984 (age 37 years), Walnut Creek, California, US
- Instagram followers: 5.4 million
- Facebook followers: 1.1 million
- Twitter followers: 948.3K
- Instagram profile: @natalieevamarie
Natalie Eva Marie’s greatest achievement in her career is her ability to blend sports, entertainment, and fashion like no other female athlete. It’s worth noting that she has a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management with a minor in Human Resources.
She truly is the total package, and brands are constantly vying to be associated with her image.
Natalya Neidhart
- Canadian-American professional wrestler and columnist
- Born: May 27, 1982 (age 39 years), Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Instagram followers: 4.5 million
- Facebook followers: 4 million
- Twitter followers: 2.3 million
- Instagram profile: @natbynature
Natalya Neidhart is one of Canada’s biggest wrestling stars and she is known for being the 5x World Record Holder Smackdown on FOX.
She holds three Guinness World Records for female WWE wrestlers: the most pay-per-view appearances, the most matches, and the most wins, all of which are extremely important to wrestling fans around the world because they represent some of the sport’s greatest achievements.
Conclusion
Given the digital world and all the social networks at our disposal, athletes today have no limit to the amount of success and popularity they can achieve.
They can market and promote themselves far better than newspapers and sports channels ever could, which is why some of the most followed female athletes on Instagram serve as global role models.
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