Messi gains 7m Facebook fans in a day

(AFP PHOTO/ JOSEP LAGO)

Argentina and Barcelona striker Lionel Messi has accumulated 7 million Facebook fans in a day since opening his official fan page on April 7.

According to social network tracker Famecount, the 23-year-old footballer is already the third most popular sportsperson on Facebook.

Only Kaká, Kobe Bryant, and Cristiano Ronaldo lie ahead of him.

Ronaldo, on 23 million, plays for Barcelona rival Real Madrid and is the Portuguese national team captain, while the Brazilian Kaká arrived at Real during the same 2009 transfer window.

LA Lakers guard Kobe Bryant leads LeBron James by just shy of 2 million Facebook fans, though the Miami Heat star and two-time NBA MVP can boast owning YouTube's most viewed account among fellow athletes.

Lionel Messi's official Facebook page can be found at http://www.facebook.com/LeoMessi