
@anthonygordon | Professional Footballer
Anthony is a verified professional footballer for Newcastle United and England — one of the Premier League's most exciting young talents. With just 96 posts and a clean, curated grid, his team built an audience of over 660,000 real, engaged followers. Match-day content, Champions League moments, lifestyle shots, and behind-the-scenes — all amplified by real, organic growth with Gainsty. That's professional athlete Instagram growth done right.

Followers
660K
This month
Likes
68K
This month
Comments
—
This month
Profile Visits
—
This month

How It All Started
Anthony was already making headlines on the pitch like scoring goals for NUFC in the Premier League and Champions League while earning his spot with England squad and winning Player of the Match awards on the biggest stages in football. But off the pitch Instagram management for professional athletes isn't automatic and poses a lot of risks. Having talent and being known doesn't mean the algorithm works in your favor.
The challenge most athletes face? You're training, traveling and playing but not spending hours figuring out hashtag strategies or engagement tactics. Their team needed real, targeted followers such as football fans, Premier League supporters, sports enthusiasts, and brands looking for brand image. Not some random accounts or bots that inflate followers number without any real value.
That's when his team connected with Gainsty. We targeted users who already followed Premier League clubs, football fan pages, sports media accounts and other top athletes. The right audience, brought directly to @anthonygordon's profile. The kind of followers who watch every match highlight, share the Champions League content with their mates, and engage with every post. The kind of audience that sponsors and brands actually want to see.
The results? Real athlete Instagram followers that built a powerful personal brand alongside an already impressive career on the pitch.

The Growth Formula
Anthony's athlete Instagram growth with Gainsty came down to three things. And the best part? Any footballer, athlete or sports personality can do the exact same thing.
The right fans find you. Gainsty targeted users who actively engage with Premier League football, Newcastle United fan accounts, England football content, sports media and other top athletes. No random followers — every single one was a genuine football fan or sports enthusiast. That's what separates real athlete Instagram growth from buying fake numbers that make your profile look inflated to sponsors.
Quality over quantity does the rest. With just 96 posts, his team proved you don't need to post every day to build a massive following. What matters is quality and brand image. Champions League match photos, Player of the Match moments, clean lifestyle shots, behind-the-scenes at the piano and training footage. Every post is intentional. When new targeted followers land on this profile, they see a professional athlete with a curated, premium brand and they hit follow instantly.
Growth compounds on itself. More real followers means more engagement. More engagement means Instagram's algorithm pushes your content to even more people organically. Gainsty brought in the right fans, Anthony's content kept them engaged and the algorithm multipled their growth. That's how you build a 660K+ following with one of the highest engagement rates in football. The kind of audience that attracts major brand deals and sponsorship opportunities.
No bots. No fake followers. No risk.
Related Case Studies
View all
@robinbhaggan
Verified neuro-osteopath who grew his practice and patient bookings through real, organic Instagram growth.
11.9K
Followers
This month

@follycoffee
Award-winning Minneapolis coffee roaster who turned Instagram followers into subscribers and wholesale partners.
14.2K
Followers
This month

@maloneyshamievision
LA's top LASIK and vision correction clinic that grew to 16.4K real followers and consistent consultation bookings.
16.4K
Followers
This month

@mikethurston
Fitness entrepreneur who built a 1.2M audience that buys his clothing line, downloads his app, and listens to his podcast.
1.2M
Followers
This month

@perthfoodieeatsandtravels
Perth food blogger who grew a loyal local foodie community and landed consistent restaurant collabs.
5,424
Followers
This month
Frequently
Asked Questions
Got a question about athlete Instagram growth that's not outlined below? Get more information by contacting us.
How can an athlete get more Instagram followers?
The fastest way to get real athlete Instagram followers is with Gainsty. We target users who follow sports teams, fan pages, sports media, and other athletes in your sport, so every new follower is a real fan or sports enthusiast — not a bot or a random account. Real people engage with match content, share highlights, and follow your career. Pair that with high-quality match-day posts, lifestyle content, and behind-the-scenes moments to build a profile that attracts sponsorships. That's why Gainsty works across many sports niches.
