Ronaldo now most-followed person on Instagram

The Portuguese forward regularly publishes on his social networks and now has 144 million followers on Instagram.

Ronaldo had been right behind Gomez for a long time, and just surpassed her follower count this morning.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner is looking for his sixth title which will see him surpass Lionel Messi and although there has been turmoil in his personal life after former American model Kathryn Mayorga, 34, of Las Vegas, accused Ronaldo of rape, his popularity in social media has not waned.

The shift in Instagram rankings comes after Gomez announced she was taking a social media break last month and was reported to be taking time off to seek treatment for her mental health. She hasn't posted on her Instagram since September 23, while Ronaldo's last Instagram post appeared earlier today.

After Ronaldo and Gomez, Ariana Grande is the third most followed person on Instagram with 132 million followers, while Kim Kardashian is fourth with more than 120 million. Ronaldo's long-term rival Lionel Messi has 100 million followers on his Instagram.