The Top 10 Most Liked Instagram Posts (March 2026)
These are the Instagram posts with the most likes of all time. The list continues to evolve as celebrities and cultural moments break records:
- #1 — Lionel Messi (World Cup 2022): ~75 million likes. Messi celebrating Argentina's World Cup victory. Posted December 18, 2022. The most liked Instagram post in history.
- #2 — World Record Egg (@world_record_egg): ~60 million likes. A photo of a brown egg posted with the goal of becoming the most liked post. It held the record from January 2019 until Messi's World Cup post.
- #3 — Cristiano Ronaldo: ~55 million likes. Ronaldo's tribute post with Messi playing chess together for a Louis Vuitton campaign.
- #4 — Lionel Messi (second post): ~50 million likes. Additional World Cup celebration photos from the same night.
- #5 — XXXTentacion tribute: ~30+ million likes. The last post from rapper XXXTentacion before his passing. Likes accumulated over years as a memorial.
- #6 — Lionel Messi (Inter Miami): ~28 million likes. Messi's announcement of joining Inter Miami.
- #7 — Cristiano Ronaldo (family): ~25+ million likes. Family and personal milestone posts.
- #8 — Kylie Jenner (baby announcement): ~24 million likes. Jenner holding her daughter Stormi's hand.
- #9 — Billie Eilish (blonde hair): ~23 million likes. Eilish revealing her new blonde hair color.
- #10 — Various athletes/celebrities: Multiple posts from athletes and celebrities hover around 20-22 million likes.
What All Record-Breaking Posts Have in Common
Looking at the most liked posts reveals clear patterns about what drives massive engagement on Instagram:
- Cultural moments: The top posts are tied to major cultural events — World Cup wins, record attempts, life milestones. People like posts that feel historically significant.
- Emotional impact: Every top post triggers strong emotions — joy, nostalgia, surprise, grief. Emotional content gets shared and liked far more than neutral content.
- Global appeal: The biggest posts transcend language and culture. Soccer, eggs, and music are universally understood.
- Timing: Many record-breakers were posted at the peak of a global event, capturing the moment when the world was paying attention.
- Authenticity: Messi's celebration was a genuine moment. The egg was pure internet culture. Overly produced content does not make the list.
Why the World Record Egg Went Viral
The World Record Egg is a fascinating case study in viral marketing. On January 4, 2019, the account @world_record_egg posted a single photo of a brown egg with the caption: "Let's set a world record together and get the most liked post on Instagram."
It worked. Within 10 days, it surpassed Kylie Jenner's previous record of 18 million likes. The egg proved that a compelling concept and community participation can beat any celebrity.
The account later revealed a mental health awareness message, showing that viral stunts can have meaningful purposes beyond likes.
How Messi Broke the Egg's Record
On December 18, 2022, Lionel Messi posted a carousel of 10 photos celebrating Argentina's World Cup win. The post reached 75+ million likes, shattering the egg's record by 15+ million.
What made it unstoppable: the combination of the most-watched sporting event on Earth, Argentina's first World Cup in 36 years, and Messi's legacy narrative of finally winning the one trophy that eluded him.
How Many Likes Can Your Posts Get?
You do not need 75 million likes to succeed on Instagram. For most creators and businesses, growing from hundreds to thousands of likes transforms results. Higher likes signal popularity to the algorithm, pushing your content to Explore.
The key insight from the most liked posts: engagement builds on itself. A post with strong early likes gets shown to more people, which gets more likes, which gets shown to even more people. Giving your posts an initial boost can trigger this flywheel.
SMM Blue provides real Instagram likes starting at $0.99 — the push that helps your best content reach its potential.