Who Has More Fans: Barcelona or Real Madrid?

Who Has More Fans: Barcelona or Real Madrid? The Rivalry That Divides the World

It's not just football—it's identity, history, obsession

Honestly, I didn’t even mean to get into this debate again. But last week, my friend Lucas (die-hard Barça fan since childhood) threw this at me over coffee:
"We both know Barça has more fans. Messi changed everything."

I nearly choked on my espresso. Because no matter how you twist it—Real Madrid isn’t just a football club. It’s an empire. So… who really has more fans?

Let’s break it down. With numbers, with heart, and yeah… with a bit of bias. (I'm only human.)

Social media numbers: a digital battleground

Real Madrid leads the scoreboard (for now)

If you’re counting followers as fans (which, let’s be honest, is how the world works now), Real Madrid is ahead—slightly but consistently.

• Instagram: Real Madrid ~140M | Barcelona ~125M

• Facebook: Real Madrid ~120M | Barcelona ~110M

• TikTok: Honestly, both are killing it, but Madrid still holds a slight edge.

Even on YouTube and Twitter (okay, X), Madrid usually tops. But the gap? Not massive. We're talking 5-15% difference depending on the platform.

And let’s not forget: this lead grew after Messi left. So there’s that.

Global fanbase: beyond the screens

Asia, Africa, Latin America—who rules?

Here’s where it gets juicy. Because fan love isn’t just clicks. It’s tattoos. It’s screaming at 3 AM. It’s naming your kid “Leo” or “Cristiano.”

• Asia: Both clubs are insanely popular. But Madrid got a head start in the early 2000s Galácticos era.

• Africa: Real Madrid again pulls slightly ahead—mostly because of CR7’s enduring influence.

• Latin America: Here, Barcelona dominates. Thanks to Messi, Ronaldinho, and that magical 2009-2015 squad.

I met a guy in São Paulo once who said, “In Brazil, you’re born into your club… but you dream with Barcelona.”
Powerful stuff.

Merchandise and revenue: money talks

Madrid is still the commercial giant

Real Madrid consistently ranks #1 or #2 in global revenue for sports teams—right alongside the Dallas Cowboys.

Merch sales, ticketing, sponsors—Madrid’s business side is unmatched. Their brand is global prestige. Royalty. Trophies.

Barcelona? They’ve got emotional appeal. Style. Romance. But money-wise, they’ve struggled more (especially post-Messi, with all that drama about debt and player wages).

As my uncle, a marketing exec and lowkey Madridista, once told me:
*"Barça makes you fall in love. But Madrid knows how to make that love profitable." Brutal. But kinda true.

Local loyalty: who owns Spain?

This is actually trickier than people think.

• Catalonia = 90% Barça. No debate.

• Madrid & Central Spain = overwhelmingly Real.

• Rest of Spain = it’s split, but Madrid leans stronger.

There’s also the whole political context—Barça being "more than a club", the voice of Catalan identity. That draws in a very different kind of loyalty.

But the national team fans? More likely to lean Real. Especially post-2010 when many stars came from Madrid.

So… who actually has more fans?

Real Madrid—technically yes, emotionally it depends

By numbers—social media, global reach, commercial power—Real Madrid wins. Slightly.
But fan passion? That’s a different metric. And in that space, Barcelona might just edge it, especially in Latin countries and younger generations raised on Messi’s magic.

Final take?
If you want numbers, pick Real Madrid.
If you want love stories, heartbreaks, and football as poetry—Barcelona has your heart.

And me? Well… I still haven’t forgiven Barça for that 6–1 comeback vs PSG. But that’s a story for another day.

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The predicted height for a female, based on your parents heights, is 155 to 165cm. Most 15 year old girls are nearly done growing. I was too. It's a very normal height for a girl.

Is 160 cm too tall for a 12 year old?

How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).

How tall is a average 15 year old?

Average Height to Weight for Teenage Boys - 13 to 20 Years

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Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.

Is 5.7 a good height for a 15 year old boy?

Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).

Can you grow between 16 and 18?

Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.

Can you grow 1 cm after 17?

Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.