Elon Musk's new policy has seen

some of the world's most

prominent football stars lose their l

egacy Blue checkmarks on Twitter.

A host of superstar names in

football have lost their legacy Blue

checkmarks on popular social

networking platform Twitter.

Twitter, which is owned by

American Billionaire Elon Musk, had

made the announcement a few

months ago that ‘legacy’

verification ticks would be

disappearing.

The news which had since been

met with criticism from tweeps also

revealed that users could still

maintain their blue ticks for a fee.

However, from Thursday, April 20,

those ticks started being stripped

from a variety of accounts

including some of the most

popular celebrities in the world.

Amongst those hit were a vast

array of prominent football stars

including Al Nassr star Cristiano

Ronaldo and Paris Saint Germain’s

Neymar.

Ronaldo is currently the most

followed footballer on Twitter, while

Neymar is the most followed

Brazilian celebrity on the social

networking platform.

In this article, Pulse Sports reviews 7

footballers who lost their Blue ticks

amid Twitter’s new regulations.

Ronaldo, Neymar and 5 footballers

who lost their Twitter blue ticks in

2023

7. Andres Iniesta - 25.4 million followers

Even though Andres Iniesta has

abandoned European football for

five years, the veteran playmaking

maestro still retains his fan

following on social media. 

The Barcelona legend has already

had an accomplished career in

football, winning nearly every single

trophy at club and international

level.

Iniesta became immortalized after

he scored the winning goal to win

the 2010 FIFA World Cup for Spain. 

Playing his fourth consecutive

season for Vissel Kobe, the 38-

year-old Spanish maestro has

adapted well in Japan’s J1 League.

Iniesta is the fourth most followed

footballer on Twitter, having joined

the platform in November 2009,

while with Barcelona.

However, the Blaugarana legend

saw his verification checkevoked

following Twitter’s new policy.

6. Kaka - 29.4 million followers 

As of April 2023, Ricardo Kaka is the

third most followed footballer on

Twitter.

The 40-year-old former Ballon d’Or

winner is an icon in Brazilian

football and the second most-

followed Brazilian footballer on the

platform after Neymar.

Kaka who is currently retired joined

Twitter in July 2009 following his

arrival at Real Madrid.

The playmaking maestro has been

active on Twitter for over a decade

but also saw his Blue tick revoked

following the new policy by Elon

Musk.

He remains verified on Facebook

and Instagram.

5. Erling Haaland - 4.6 million followers

Manchester City striker Erling

Haaland is enduring a one-of-a-

kind debut season.

Haaland has shattered all sorts of

goalscoring records since his

arrival at the Etihad in the summer

of 2022.

As of April 2023, the 22-year-old

prolific Norwegian is the most-

followed active Man City player on

Twitter.

Haaland joined Twitter in October

2013, way before he became a

football superstar.

However, his exploits on the pitch

have seen him amass millions of

followers from across the world on

his Twitter page.

Even though he is also very active

on the platform as well, his

verification badge was also

revoked in light of Twitter’s new

policy.

4. Kylian Mbappe - 12.2 million followers

Paris Saint Germain vice-captain

and France captain Kylian Mbappe

saw his verification chalked off as

well.

Mbappe joined Twitter in

September 2013 while still in

Monaco.

The 24-year-old has gone ahead

to amass over 12 million followers

on the social networking platform.

Mbappe is the third-most followed

PSG player on Twitter after Sergio

Ramos and Neymar.

He is also the highest-paid player

at the Parisian club as per figures

from Capology as well as the

fourth-most followed footballer on

Instagram, where he still maintains

his Blue tick.

3. Mohamed Salah - 12.8 million followers

Liverpool star Mohamed Salah also

joins the list of prominent

footballers who lost their Blue tick

on Twitter.

Salah is the highest-paid player at

Liverpool, the most-followed

Premier League player on

Instagram, the most followed

African footballer on Instagram

and the most-followed African

footballer on Twitter.

Salah joined Twitter in March 2014

following his arrival at Chelsea.

However, the 30-year-old Egyptian

has gone ahead to achieve greater

things since his exit from the West

London club.

Salah currently has over 12 million

followers on Twitter and is one of

the most influential African

footballers on the planet.

His official accounts on Facebook

and Instagram still remain verified, however.

2. Neymar - 62 million followers

Paris Saint Germain star Neymar is

currently the second most-

followed footballer on Twitter.

The 31-year-old Brazil international

also saw his badge removed even

with his  62 million followers, having

joined the platform in June 2010.

Neymar who recently announced

that he is expecting a baby with his

girlfriend Bruna Biancardi is one of

the most popular and most active

footballers in the social media

space.

He is one of the richest footballers

in the world and the third most-

followed footballer on Instagram as

of April 2023.

Neymar still maintains his

verification badges on Facebook

and Instagram also.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo - 108.3 million followers

As of April 2023, Cristiano Ronaldo is

the most followed footballer on

Twitter in the world.

The 38-year-old Portuguese

skipper boasts well over 108 million

followers on the American-owned

social networking platform.

Ronaldo joined Twitter in June 2010

and it’s no surprise how the five-

time Ballon d’Or winner has

managed to amass over 100 million

followers on the app, have

recorded numerous successes in

his legendary career.

Like Twitter, Ronaldo is also the

most-followed footballer on

Instagram with more than half a

billion fans following the Portugal

skipper on the social media

platform.

However, Ronaldo who is one of the

richest footballers in the world was

also among the famous global

celebrities to lose their verification

on Twitter, courtesy of Elon Musk’s

new policy.

Although, the 5-time Champions

League winner and father of five

still maintains his verified badge on

both his Facebook and Instagram

accounts.