Lionel Messi continues to dominate the digital sphere, generating 96 million monthly reactions and over 2.6 billion impressions, solidifying his status as the athlete with the greatest digital impact in Latin America. As the continent begins its journey towards the next World Cup, the Argentine star is once again at the center of the stage, confirmed by the Argentine News Agency. His influence extends not only to what happens on the field but also to his enormous capacity to generate conversation, engagement, and reach in the digital ecosystem. This is confirmed by a report from Agencia Quiroga, which analyzed the impact of the Argentine star on social media over the past year. On another front, leveraging his influence over the general public, the No. 10 of the Argentine national team has forcefully reignited the debate in Argentina about Sports Joint-Stock Companies (SAD), a model that the AFA had cooled by prohibiting. The idol not only expressed his support for the SAD scheme conceptually but also practically, as he is an investor—alongside Luis Suárez—in Deportivo LSM, a Uruguayan club that operates formally under this structure. This experience raises questions about management, financing, and professionalization in a context where Argentine sports clubs face serious difficulties in sustaining their economic structures. Digital Conversation. The study by Quiroga agency gives concrete numbers to a phenomenon that transcends borders and platforms. On average, the digital conversation around Messi generates 96 million monthly reactions and exceeds 2.6 billion impressions. Twitter positions itself as the network with the highest volume of mentions, concentrating 66%, while Instagram leads in interaction with 55% of reactions. TikTok, for its part, contributes 42% of the impressions, consolidating itself as a key player in terms of reach and visibility. The analysis also reveals which actors orbit most forcefully around the name Messi in the digital conversation. Most Associated Accounts. Accounts like LaLiga, Inter Miami CF, and FIFA World Cup appear among the most associated, reflecting the close relationship between his figure, official competitions, and the clubs that marked different stages of his career. On the regional level, Argentina continues to lead social buzz in Latin America, although the report detects a significant growth of Mexico as a key market in the conversation. Regarding the audience profile, interest in Messi is concentrated mainly in a young male audience; the segment under 18 years represents 35% of the total, positioning itself as the most relevant age group. Sports Performance and Digital Amplification. One of the central axes of the report is the direct relationship between sports performance and conversation on social networks. The peaks in mentions and engagement coincide with decisive moments on the field: goals, assists, key matches, or personal milestones. Performance thus acts as an immediate trigger for social buzz, organically amplifying the reach of his figure regionally and globally. This dynamic also reinforces the strategic value of Messi for clubs, leagues, tournaments, and sponsors. His presence in official competitions and high-impact events powers the visibility of associated brands, demonstrating how the value of an elite athlete exceeds sports results and translates into measurable digital impact. The strong bond with younger audiences is not only due to his charisma but also to his consistent sports performance over time, a key factor to sustain high levels of conversation, engagement, and loyalty on social networks. Messi's Digital Strategy. The report also analyzes the activity of Messi himself on his social networks. 67% of his posts correspond to personal content, while 33% is sponsored content. Within this latter segment, Adidas consolidates as its main digital sponsor, with almost 40% participation, followed by Apple. In terms of platforms, Instagram is clearly the axis of his digital strategy, concentrating 97% of the reactions and impressions generated by his posts, confirming its central role in building his bond with fans.
