Did you know that Real Madrid football star Christiano Ronaldo is the most popular sportsperson on both Facebook and Twitter, with millions of Likes and followers on both of these social networks?

Sports teams and players around the world are now using social media to connect and engage with fans, colleagues and the press, sometimes with very mixed results. Because while these channels can be fantastic tools for raising awareness (and driving ticket sales), professional athletes, on occasion, and when the mood strikes them, can be guilty of lifting their foot from the pitch or the court and placing it firmly in their mouths.

This infographic takes a closer look at the sporting world’s growing impact on and within social media.

(Source: Eventility. Sports image via Shutterstock.)