Gabriel Jesus gains 1m Instagram followers in 15 days after Barcelona move

Gabriel Jesus has gained one million Instagram followers in just 15 days since completing his move to Barcelona from Arsenal.

The Brazil forward, who joined the Spanish club in the final hours of the summer transfer window, has seen his following rise to 22.4 million despite having played only limited minutes in two matches.

He has also scored his first goal for Barcelona, even though he has yet to settle into his official accommodation. His family remains in London while the arrangements for their move are completed.

The 29-year-old was born in Sao Paulo and arrived at Barcelona at what should be the peak of his playing career. He brings almost a decade of experience in the Premier League, having worked under Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta.

Jesus has also represented Brazil at two World Cups. That experience exposed him to the considerable social impact of playing for one of the most successful national teams in international football, whose matches at the tournament can capture the attention of a vast country and bring normal life to a standstill.

According to Sport, the rapid growth of Jesus’ online following highlights the global reach of Barcelona and the welcome he has received from the club’s supporters.

The report said the “Barcelona effect” was impossible to overlook. The club is among those attracting the greatest level of international interest and has significantly expanded its social-media audience in recent years.

Barcelona added 52 million new followers across all its official accounts in 2025, underlining the scale of its digital presence.

That influence also extends across the wider online sports landscape. Data from Flashscore, a leading global application for live scores and sports content, showed Barcelona had the most visits to a club page worldwide in August.

The measure records how often users return to a team’s page to check fixtures, results, league tables, squad information and statistics.

Barcelona’s page received 10.96 million visits during the month, putting it ahead of Real Madrid, which recorded 10.75 million, and Paris Saint-Germain, with 6.17 million.

Jesus’ immediate increase in followers came before he had established himself in the Barcelona team or completed his move into his new home, making the growth especially notable. His arrival has therefore generated a significant digital response alongside the early stages of his career at the club.