Liverpool may have let the Premier League title slip through their fingers in 2021, but they did win one trophy.
According to a data poll that compiled social media data, Google trends, and search words for the clubs, players, and managers, the Reds, an English footballing institution whose roots and traditions run through the veins of the red half of Merseyside, are currently the most popular club in the UK.
Liverpool has overtaken Manchester United in these areas in the UK, putting them at the top of the tree domestically when it comes to popularity, according to data compiled for the True Colours of Football project by William Hill. The Reds were able to leverage their success on the field during 2019 and 2020, when they won both the Champions League and the Premier League, the latter for the first time.
The 2020/21 season did not reach the dizzying heights of the previous two and was a struggle for an injury-plagued Liverpool side, but they still managed to finish third on the final day of the season and secure Champions League qualification for the following season, something that seemed improbable at the end of January.
Liverpool still leads the way in terms of silverware wins, with 43 to Manchester United's 42, with the Premier League triumph putting the Reds ahead of their rivals.
Football is a worldwide sport, and Liverpool is a globally recognized club.
And, behind United, they are the second most popular Premier League team, leading the list in 87 nations, compared to United, who are ranked first in 93 of the 250 countries recognized by the International Organisation for Standardisation.
Together, the two have the greatest global appeal, topping the charts in 72 percent of the 250 countries. To put things in perspective, the combined clout of Chelsea (19), Manchester City (nine), Arsenal (eight), and Spurs (one) only accounts for 42.52 percent of Liverpool's international wins.
Liverpool, with a social media following of 94.5 million across platforms, dominates the African continent's northernmost region, claiming four of the seven countries, while West Africa appears to be a Chelsea stronghold. Manchester United, on the other hand, enjoys the freedom of the continent's south, controlling vast swaths of land stretching from Tanzania's capital Dodoma to South Africa's Cape Town.
The Riyad Mahrez effect has helped Manchester City become the most popular club in Algeria, and Son Heung-min has had a similar impact in his native South Korea, enabling Tottenham Hotspur pass Manchester United to become the most popular foreign club.
Much of Europe, including the United Kingdom, the Middle East, and Russia's 17.13 million km2 landmass, is covered in Liverpool red, and a large number of people in Southern Asia follow United.
United is the dominating club in key commercial markets such as China and India, and Liverpool will be seeking to gain ground in those markets in the future seasons, something that will be strongly tied to on-field performance.
Six Premier League clubs are represented in South America, with Mexico and Brazil being the most motivated to support Jurgen Klopp's side, while Ral Jiménez, the Premier League's single Mexican, propels Wolverhampton Wanderers to second place in that country.
Everton has become the biggest UK club in Colombia, thanks to the signing of Colombian superstar James Rodriguez, while Miguel Almirón ensures Newcastle enjoys plenty of Paraguayan affection, and Argentinian Marcelo Bielsa helps Leeds United to the top spot in his homeland, with his success with the Whites reflected in increased interest and engagement in what the Yorkshire club does in Argentina.
Apart from the Ole Gunnar Solskjaer connection propelling United to top spot in Norway, fans in the Nordic region of Europe, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland, are all significantly in favor of Liverpool.
From 2009 to 2017, Liverpool's online popularity grew steadily through search traffic around the world, but a series of important events sparked massive surges in attention, causing their online popularity to skyrocket.
The purchase of Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah's record-breaking goalscoring exploits in 2018, and Real Madrid's 2019 Champions League victory against Tottenham Hotspur in Madrid all resulted in significant increases in global traffic.
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