The most liked Instagram post of all time belongs to Lionel Messi, whose carousel celebrating Argentina’s 2022 FIFA World Cup victory accumulated over 74 million likes and became a defining cultural moment in social media history. This single post surpassed the previous record holder, the World Record Egg, which had held the title since January 2019.
The competition for the most liked Instagram post has seen remarkable shifts over the years, with viral stunts, celebrity announcements, and sporting achievements all competing for the top spot. Messi’s victory post not only broke records on Instagram but became the most liked social media post across all platforms, surpassing videos on YouTube and TikTok.
What Is the Most Liked Instagram Post of All Time?
Lionel Messi’s December 18, 2022 carousel documenting Argentina’s World Cup triumph stands as the undisputed record holder. The post captured Messi lifting the trophy, celebrating with teammates, and sharing intimate moments with the sacred silverware. As of recent counts, the post has surpassed 74 million likes, a figure that continues to grow as new users discover the historic moment.
Key Facts About the Current Record Holder
Messi’s World Cup carousel holds the record for fastest engagement in Instagram history, reaching 10 million likes within 39 minutes of posting.
The previous record belonged to the World Record Egg campaign, which posted a simple brown egg image on January 4, 2019. That post was part of a deliberate social experiment challenging influencer culture, specifically targeting Kylie Jenner’s birth announcement that had accumulated over 18 million likes. The campaign was designed to prove that intentionally minimal content could outperform celebrity-driven announcements.
The World Record Egg took just 9 days to surpass Jenner’s post and eventually accumulated over 60 million likes, demonstrating the unpredictable nature of viral content.
Overview of Instagram’s Most Liked Posts
74.7M+ likes
60.3M likes
50M likes in first day
3 posts in top 10
- Messi’s victory carousel is the most liked Instagram post across all platforms
- The post reached 50 million likes within 24 hours of posting
- Within 48 hours, the post exceeded 64 million likes
- Messi’s post surpassed YouTube’s “Despacito” video (50.2 million likes)
- Three of Messi’s posts from December 2022 appear in the top 10
- The World Record Egg was created as a deliberate challenge to influencer culture
- Taylor Swift’s 2025 engagement announcement briefly overwhelmed Instagram’s servers
| Rank | Account | Description | Likes | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | @leomessi | Messi celebrating 2022 FIFA World Cup win | 74.7M | December 18, 2022 |
| 2 | @world_record_egg | Brown egg photo | 60.3M | January 4, 2019 |
| 3 | @leomessi | Messi in bed with FIFA World Cup Trophy | 53.5M | December 20, 2022 |
| 4 | @kishore_mondal_official | Reel singing “Jeene Laga Hoon” | 51.8M | April 11, 2025 |
| 5 | @Insta360 | Video of tiny camera filming toddler | 42.8M | May 11, 2025 |
Top 10 Most Liked Instagram Posts
The landscape of Instagram’s most liked posts has evolved significantly since the platform’s inception. While celebrity announcements and sporting victories dominate the upper rankings, the list also features unexpected viral moments from everyday users and branded content.
How the Rankings Have Shifted Over Time
Before the World Record Egg, Kylie Jenner’s birth announcement held the record with over 18 million likes, a figure that seemed insurmountable at the time. The egg campaign shattered that benchmark by deliberately creating anticlimactic content, proving that intentionality and humor could outperform celebrity status.
The December 2022 World Cup period marked a turning point, with three of Messi’s posts entering the top 10. The momentum continued into 2025, when new viral content including music covers and creative videos began competing with decade-old records.
The most successful posts typically combine emotional resonance, cultural timing, and shareability rather than relying solely on follower count.
Beyond the Top 10: Other Notable Entries
Several other posts deserve mention for their remarkable performance. Cristiano Ronaldo’s November 2022 collaboration with Louis Vuitton featuring himself and Messi playing chess accumulated 41.3 million likes, reflecting the enduring appeal of the football rivalry narrative. The post demonstrated how branded content could achieve unprecedented engagement when paired with compelling storytelling.
Taylor Swift’s August 2025 engagement announcement generated over 30 million likes in under 24 hours, temporarily overwhelming Instagram’s servers and ranking as the eighth most liked post of all time. Meanwhile, @emilio.piano’s September 2024 cover of “My Heart Will Go On” reached 37.1 million likes, demonstrating that musical talent can still breakthrough on the platform.
Ronaldo’s icy plunge in Finland also secured a place in the rankings with 35.7 million likes, showing that athletic challenges and stunts continue to resonate with audiences.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Most Liked Instagram Post
Cristiano Ronaldo’s highest-performing Instagram post is his collaboration with Louis Vuitton depicting a chess match against Lionel Messi. Posted on November 19, 2022, the image accumulated 41.3 million likes and represents one of the most successful branded collaborations in Instagram history.
The chess photograph leveraged the ongoing rivalry narrative between football’s two greatest players, creating content that appealed to fans of both athletes. The luxury branding element added aspirational value, making the post shareable across diverse audience segments.
Ronaldo’s icy Finnish dip post ranks tenth overall with 35.7 million likes, demonstrating his continued ability to generate massive engagement through personal challenge content and travel documentation.
Most-Liked Picture on Instagram in 24 Hours
Messi’s World Cup victory post achieved the fastest engagement rate in Instagram history, reaching 10 million likes within just 39 minutes of posting on December 18, 2022. The post then crossed the 50 million threshold within the first 24 hours, setting multiple records simultaneously.
Taylor Swift’s 2025 engagement announcement also generated over 30 million likes in less than 24 hours, ranking as the second-fastest reaching post in platform history.
Factors Behind Rapid Engagement
Several elements contributed to Messi’s unprecedented engagement speed. The timing coincided with the global football community’s collective attention, with matches still ongoing in the tournament. The emotional weight of the moment, representing Messi’s first World Cup victory after years of near-misses, created natural sharing impulses.
The carousel format encouraged users to spend time with the content, increasing the likelihood of likes and shares. Additionally, the global nature of Messi’s fanbase meant that engagement came from multiple time zones simultaneously as the post spread through networks worldwide.
Comparing 24-Hour Performance
| Post | Time to 10M | 24hr Likes |
|---|---|---|
| Messi World Cup (2022) | 39 minutes | 50M+ |
| Taylor Swift Engagement (2025) | Under 2 hours | 30M+ |
| World Record Egg (2019) | Multiple days | ~5M |
Timeline of Record-Breaking Instagram Posts
Understanding the progression of Instagram’s most liked posts reveals how engagement patterns have evolved over the platform’s history.
- 2017: Kylie Jenner’s birth announcement post reaches 18+ million likes, establishing the celebrity benchmark
- January 4, 2019: World Record Egg posts a simple brown egg image as part of a deliberate social experiment
- January 13, 2019: The egg surpasses Kylie’s record in just 9 days
- 2019-2022: The egg continues climbing, eventually exceeding 60 million likes
- December 18, 2022: Messi posts his World Cup victory carousel, reaching 10 million likes in 39 minutes
- December 20, 2022: Messi’s post surpasses 56 million likes, overtaking the egg’s record
- 48 hours post-upload: Messi’s post exceeds 64 million likes, becoming the most liked post across all platforms
- 2024: Ronaldo’s icy Finland dip and other posts enter the rankings
- August 26, 2025: Taylor Swift’s engagement announcement generates 30M+ likes in 24 hours
- 2025: New viral posts from music creators and tech brands challenge established records
What Is Verified and What Remains Uncertain
When examining Instagram engagement records, it is important to distinguish between verified information and figures that may vary depending on data sources and timing.
Established Information
- Messi’s World Cup post is the most liked Instagram post
- The egg held the previous record since 2019
- Messi’s post reached 10 million likes in 39 minutes
- The post crossed 50 million likes within 24 hours
- Guinness World Records verified the egg’s original record
- Messi’s post surpassed “Despacito” on YouTube as the most liked social media post
Information That Remains Unclear
- Current exact like counts may have increased since last verification
- Precise timestamps for some 2025 posts
- Whether Messi’s like count includes reshares or separate counts
- Exact methodology differences between Guinness, Wikipedia, and Instagram’s own counts
- Whether Instagram’s algorithm displays posts equally across all regions
Why These Records Matter in Social Media Culture
The competition for the most liked Instagram post reflects broader trends in social media engagement and digital culture. Records serve as benchmarks for influence measurement, marketing strategy, and platform evolution understanding.
The World Record Egg demonstrated that intentionally minimal content could outperform celebrity-driven announcements, challenging assumptions about follower counts and engagement potential. The egg’s success inspired similar “anti-influencer” campaigns and highlighted the unpredictable nature of viral spread.
Messi’s record, by contrast, represents organic emotional engagement at scale. The post succeeded not through deliberate virality strategy but through authentic cultural moment documentation. This distinction matters for understanding how different content types achieve record-breaking performance.
The presence of multiple posts from the same accounts in top rankings, particularly Messi with three entries, suggests that platform loyalty and ongoing content creation contribute to cumulative engagement success. Related cultural discussions, such as the Sydney Sweeney silver dress coverage from Variety’s Power of Women event, demonstrate how entertainment and celebrity content continues to drive significant social engagement.
Sources and Additional Context
Multiple authoritative sources track Instagram engagement records, each with slightly different methodologies and update frequencies.
The most liked image on Instagram is Lionel Messi’s World Cup victory carousel post, which Guinness World Records verified as reaching over 75 million likes.
Wikipedia maintains a comprehensive database of most liked Instagram posts, tracking engagement metrics across multiple years and accounting for platform changes.
For those interested in broader entertainment coverage and how social media intersects with traditional media, the Real Housewives of London cast guide provides insight into how reality television personalities leverage social platforms for audience engagement.
Summary
Lionel Messi’s December 2022 World Cup victory carousel remains the most liked Instagram post of all time, with over 74 million likes and the fastest engagement rate in platform history. The post surpassed the World Record Egg, which held the title for three years, and became the most liked social media post across all platforms. While Cristiano Ronaldo and Taylor Swift have produced record-breaking content of their own, Messi’s achievement reflects the unique power of authentic emotional moments combined with global cultural timing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most liked Instagram post of all time?
Lionel Messi’s carousel celebrating Argentina’s 2022 FIFA World Cup victory, with over 74 million likes as of 2025.
Who held the record before Messi?
The World Record Egg held the title since January 2019, accumulating over 60 million likes with a simple brown egg image.
What is Cristiano Ronaldo’s most liked Instagram post?
Ronaldo’s collaboration with Louis Vuitton featuring a chess match against Messi received 41.3 million likes, his highest-performing post.
Which Instagram post reached 10 million likes fastest?
Messi’s World Cup post achieved 10 million likes in just 39 minutes, the fastest engagement rate in Instagram history.
Is there a direct link to the most liked Instagram post?
Messi’s post can be found on his official account @leomessi, posted on December 18, 2022, documenting Argentina’s World Cup triumph.
How many of the top 10 posts belong to Messi?
Three of Messi’s December 2022 posts appear in the top 10 most liked Instagram posts of all time.
Has any non-athlete surpassed these records recently?
Taylor Swift’s August 2025 engagement announcement reached 30 million likes in under 24 hours, ranking eighth overall.
