Belgian YouTube channel suddenly becomes the most-viewed in the world

©picture alliance / NurPhoto | Jose Breton

Céline Dept's YouTube channel temporarily surpasses MrBeast as the most-watched in the world.

Belgian influencer Céline Dept (26) has reached a remarkable milestone. Last week, her YouTube channel was the most-viewed in the world. Between June 22 and 28, she racked up over 1.11 billion views, giving her a narrow lead over American YouTube superstar MrBeast, who garnered slightly fewer views during the same period. The Flemish influencer owes the staggering figure to a carefully crafted marketing strategy she’s been rolling out for years, combined with the smart decision to start creating football-related content.

The figures, sourced from Tubefilter, confirm Dept’s strong rise as an online personality with a global reach. Since May 2023, her channel has focused primarily on football, allowing her to attract an audience that extends far beyond Belgium. For her videos, she has already featured big names such as Gareth Bale, Neymar, Erling Haaland, and , most recently, Cristiano Ronaldo.

And her encounter with Portuguese football star Ronaldo, in particular, proved to be a huge hit. The video in which Dept speaks with her idol at Portugal’s training camp has been viewed millions of times since June 16 and went viral worldwide. Top clubs such as PSG and Manchester City have also collaborated with her.

Céline Dept previously made a name for herself with her joint channel CEMI, which she runs with her boyfriend Michiel Callebaut. Through this channel, they primarily reached a young audience and built a solid business model, featuring clothing, collaborations, and even a feature film in Flanders.

©picture alliance / NurPhoto | Jose Breton - Michiel Callebaut en Celine Dept