In the ever-evolving world of social media, where trends rise and fall in the blink of an eye, some moments are so powerful they transcend fleeting popularity and make history. Since the dawn of social media platforms, Guinness World Records has been tracking and verifying these digital milestones, and a new champion has emerged.
While we are a long way from the days of “poking” on Facebook and sharing mixtapes on MySpace, the core of social media—connection—remains. In December 2022, that connection was demonstrated on a monumental scale.
Following Argentina’s nail-biting victory over France in the FIFA World Cup final, football superstar Lionel Messi posted a carousel of photos on his Instagram account. The triumphant image of him holding the coveted trophy aloft in the Lusail Stadium resonated with billions of fans worldwide. In less than 48 hours, the post surpassed the long-standing record held by a simple picture of an egg, which had gone viral in 2019.
Verified by Guinness World Records on March 24, 2023, the image officially became the most liked image post on Instagram, with a staggering 75,471,947 likes. This number has continued to climb, with the post currently holding over 74 million likes.
Messi’s victory post is not just a sports highlight; it is a cultural phenomenon. It symbolizes the culmination of a legendary career and a dream that many had waited decades to see realized. The emotional weight of the moment, a mix of pure joy, relief, and national pride, was a perfect storm for global engagement. It proves that in the age of fast-moving content, a single, authentic, and historically significant moment can still unite the world and leave a lasting digital footprint.
