Lionel Messi ranks first in the list of the most liked Instagram posts discussed here. The famous egg follows in second place. Messi also holds the official record for a photo post. Note the measurement date: the recorded number of likes is from 2023 and is therefore not the current figure.
Read more below about these two leaders and discover which ideas you can try with your own photos.
Which Instagram posts have the most likes?
The MAN MAN ranking of 25 May 2026 puts Messi first and the egg second. This is an editorial list, not an official record registration.
| Position | Instagram post |
|---|---|
| 1 | Lionel Messi’s post |
| 2 | The photo of the egg |
According to Guinness World Records Messi’s photo post had 75.471.947 likes when checked on 24 March 2023. Records can change and are not updated online immediately.
That number therefore belongs to that date. The record also applies to a photo post. It does not automatically indicate which post ranks first when videos and Reels are included as well.
Why can Instagram posts go viral?
A post goes viral when it spreads quickly among many people. The number of likes does not tell you why this happens. However, there are various reasons why people may want to like or share a photo.
- A shared interest. Football fans from different countries may value the same moment. A photo then needs little explanation.
- Recognisable emotion. You can often recognise happiness, pride or amazement without understanding the caption.
- A simple idea. An ordinary photo, such as one of an egg, can make people curious. Why does that particular image receive so much attention?
- The right moment. A post can connect with something people are already talking about.
- Joining in. A like can show support or mean taking part in a shared action.
These are possible explanations. They do not prove why these two posts received so many likes. Nor can you derive a guaranteed formula for millions of likes from them.
What can you learn from the most liked Instagram posts?
Focus on what a post makes clear, rather than the enormous number of likes. With your own photos, you can try these three choices.
- Choose one clear moment. For example, take a photo at the finish line of your first walk. That makes it immediately clear what your post is about.
- Explain why it matters to you. A fictional caption: “My first twenty kilometre walk. Mostly happy that I finished it.” This helps someone understand what the photo means to you.
- Ask a question if you are curious about the answer. For example: “Which route would you choose next?” This gives people something specific to respond to.
Would you rather share a short video of that moment? Read about the best time to post Reels . You can try different times, but timing does not guarantee that your video will become popular.
Lots of Instagram likes are not the same as lots of attention
A like is an action on a post. The number does not tell you why someone clicked, how long they watched or what they think of the rest of your profile.
Lots of likes therefore do not prove how much attention a photo received. Purchased numbers also do not prove genuine attention, customers or organic reach. Organic reach means that people see your post without paid distribution.
The number of likes is also not the same as the number of unique viewers. Would you like to know what you can find out about viewers? Read whether you can see who views your Instagram post.
How to compare the likes on your own Instagram posts
Compare your own posts after the same amount of time. A photo that has been online for a month has had longer to collect likes than a photo from yesterday.
- Choose three comparable posts, such as three separate photos of your hobby.
- Record the likes at the same time each time, for example after seven days.
- Write down what was different for each photo: the subject, the image or the caption.
- For a subsequent post, try one of those choices again.
A fictional example: a photo of your homemade bread receives 24 likes after seven days. A photo of you slicing the bread receives 36 likes after seven days. The difference is 36 minus 24: the second photo receives 12 more likes.
You could therefore try another photo showing you doing something. But this single difference does not prove that slicing the bread led to more likes. Use popular Instagram posts as inspiration and compare your own posts to discover what people respond to.
