In an unexpected turn of events, two of the world’s biggest stars from different fields could be joining forces in the battle for YouTube supremacy. Jimmy Donaldson, known worldwide as MrBeast, has revealed that he might collaborate with soccer legend Lionel Messi to fend off Cristiano Ronaldo’s rapid rise on the platform. This unlikely showdown between social media and soccer titans has taken the internet by storm.

Cristiano Ronaldo is already a global icon for his on-field achievements. But on August 21, 2024, he launched his own YouTube account, UR Cristiano, further expanding his online popularity. Within hours of launching the channel, Ronaldo shattered records, amassing over 10 million subscribers in a mere 17 hours. By posting 19 videos in less than a day, the Portuguese forward garnered over 40 million views in just 24 hours.

Ronaldo’s channel has continued to grow at an astonishing rate. As of now, his channel boasts almost 64 million subscribers. This is a monumental number for such a short time on the platform. In contrast, MrBeast has built his 318 million-strong subscriber base over more than a decade. Despite the large gap, Ronaldo’s ability to break records at an unprecedented pace has raised concerns for MrBeast. The 26-year-old American is currently YouTube’s most-subscribed individual content creator.

MrBeast responds: “Not going down without a fight”

During an appearance on Logan Paul’s IMPAULSIVE podcast, MrBeast acknowledged Ronaldo’s impressive achievements. He also admitted that the Portuguese superstar poses a genuine threat to his record. “I broke the world record for most subs in a month,” said MrBeast about his record-breaking performance of gaining 20 million subscribers in 30 days. “And two months later, Ronaldo comes on and three X’s it.”

Ronaldo’s initial surge has put him on a growth trajectory that could eventually challenge MrBeast’s position at the top of YouTube. However, the 26-year-old YouTube sensation isn’t ready to concede his crown just yet. “I’m not going down without a fight,” MrBeast stated. He even teased that he might collaborate with Ronaldo’s longtime rival, Lionel Messi, to help keep his channel ahead in the subscriber count. “If I’ve got to do a Messi collab, I’ll do it.”

Messi collaboration: Ultimate countermove for MrBeast?

While no concrete plans have been confirmed, the idea of MrBeast teaming up with Lionel Messi to counter Ronaldo’s growing influence is both intriguing and feasible. The Argentine, like Ronaldo, commands a massive global following, both on and off the pitch. A partnership between MrBeast and Messi could result in a viral sensation. Such a mash-up would attract millions of new subscribers to MrBeast’s channel and solidify his position as YouTube’s top creator.

The rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo, often hailed as the greatest in soccer history, has now spilled over into the digital world. If MrBeast’s strategy involves bringing Messi into his YouTube content, it could reignite the Messi vs. Ronaldo debate on a whole new platform.

Despite MrBeast’s playful comments about the potential Messi collaboration, Ronaldo’s YouTube success cannot be ignored. His channel is currently gaining approximately 240,000 subscribers per day, outpacing MrBeast’s 166,000 daily subscriber growth. In just the past 30 days, Ronaldo added 7 million subscribers. Over the same period, MrBeast added 3 million.

However, Ronaldo’s initial surge has started to slow. According to SocialBlade statistics, his growth rate is tapering off, while MrBeast’s steady, consistent subscriber gain continues. This suggests that while Ronaldo’s explosive entry into the YouTube world is impressive, maintaining such rapid growth over time will be more challenging. MrBeast, on the other hand, has demonstrated resilience in keeping his numbers growing over a sustained period.

PHOTOS: IMAGO