The 20 Most Liked Photos on Instagram in 2025

Every once in a while, a post breaks through the noise and racks up tens of millions of likes. It’s easy to write these moments off as "lucky": the right celebrity, the right timing, the right algorithm push. But when you look closer, there’s always a reason it worked.

And that’s exactly why this matters.

If you're serious about growth — whether you're building a brand, managing influencers, or just trying to break into the creator economy — you can’t afford to ignore what works at scale. And these top-performing posts are case studies in audience psychology, timing, emotion, and platform mastery.

In this article, we’re diving into the 20 most liked photos on Instagram, why they worked, who they resonated with, and what you can learn from each one.

1. Leo Messi celebrating Argentina's World Cup victory (2022)

Likes: 74M+

Posted by: @leomessi

This post made history. Lionel Messi, arguably the greatest footballer of all time, holding the World Cup trophy, at last.
Prior to this, Messi had everything: Ballon d’Ors, Champions League titles, Olympic gold. But the World Cup (football’s highest honor) kept slipping through his fingers.

• In 2014, Argentina reached the final. Messi carried the team, but they lost in extra time to Germany. He walked off the field with tears in his eyes.
• In 2016, after losing back-to-back Copa América finals, he retired from international play (only to return months later because he couldn’t stay away).

For years, the world asked: Can Messi really be the GOAT if he never wins a World Cup?

When Argentina won in 2022 — in what was almost certainly his final World Cup appearance — it wasn’t just a win. It was a redemption arc. The last missing piece. A career-defining moment with a decade-long buildup that united fans across generations and continents.

The takeaway: If you want breakout engagement, don't just capture a moment. Capture the resolution of a story. The deeper the emotional investment beforehand, the bigger the impact when the ending lands.

2. The World Record Egg (2019)

Likes: 60M+

Posted by: @world_record_egg

A stock photo of a brown egg became one of the most iconic internet moments of all time. No celebrity. No caption. No brand tie-in. Just an egg and the internet’s full force behind it.

So why did it work?

At the time, the most-liked photo on Instagram was Kylie Jenner’s birth announcement (18M+ likes). A meme account decided to challenge that, not with another influencer, but with an egg. The egg was intentionally meaningless, which made it the perfect vehicle for sticking it to influencer culture.

In just 9 days, the egg blew past Kylie’s post and kept climbing, eventually stopping at 60.9 million likes across literally every demographic, from Gen Z to millennials, meme pages to mainstream media.

The takeaway: Sometimes the best-performing content isn’t about you. It’s about the people on the other side of the screen: what they want to say, protest, or laugh about together. Tap into a moment. Be part of the joke. And let the crowd carry it.

3. Messi in bed with the FIFA World Cup trophy (2022)

Likes: 55M+

Posted by: @leomessi

Just a few days after Messi’s World Cup victory (and previous record-breaking post), he shared another carousel that turned the internet upside down. In it, he lies in bed, the FIFA World Cup trophy resting beside him, with the simple caption: "Buen día ! 😁".

The photo showed us a side of Messi we don’t often get to see: relaxed, human, and basking in the satisfaction of having achieved the pinnacle of his career. It was as if he was saying, “I’m still human; I know how crazy this all is.”

The takeaway: If you’re creating content or building a brand, remember that authenticity cuts through the noise. Don’t be afraid to show the less polished, more human side, because that's what truly connects with people.

4. Messi v. Ronaldo chess match for Louis Vuitton (2022)

Likes: 42M

Posted by: @cristiano

For over 15 years, fans have debated who’s better: Messi or Ronaldo. Their rivalry defined a generation of football: El Clásicos, Ballon d’Ors, goal records. They were rarely seen in the same frame, let alone collaborating. That’s what made this image so explosive.

Louis Vuitton brought them together not to play football, but a game of chess atop a checkered Louis V suitcase — a metaphor for strategy, legacy, and the quiet mental battle behind greatness.

The board itself? It resembles a real-life match played by grandmasters, adding yet another layer of detail for fans to obsess over. And the chess position was confirmed by none other than one of the grandmasters themselves: Magnus Carlsen.

The takeaway: There are two things that create massive engagement: unexpected collaboration between rivals, and Easter eggs that leave more to be discovered. This campaign executes both flawlessly.

5. Messi on the plane with his World Cup trophy (2022)

Likes: 41.5M

Posted by: @leomessi

Fresh off the biggest win of his life, Leo Messi posted a casual photo from his flight home on the team jet, casually resting the World Cup trophy on his leg, surrounded by teammates, wearing a huge smile.

By this point, followers were fully invested in the post-win era. This was the sequel to the viral trophy-holding post, and it delivered for that exact reason. With it alongside his previous and following posts, he has now published of the top five most-liked IG posts of all time, another record for the books.

The takeaway: Not every viral moment needs to be loud. Capitalizing on existing momentum with the in-betweens and the afterglow is what made this post such an effective continuation. Use storytelling to give people a chronological window into success instead of just the highlights.

6. Emil Reinert's Reel of a girl singing My Heart Will Go On (2024)

Likes: 37.3M

Posted by: @emilio.piano

A girl approaches a street pianist and requests My Heart Will Go On. He smiles, nods, and instantly starts playing it — flawlessly, from memory. Her eyes widen. Then she starts to sing.

Completely unrehearsed, the two fall into perfect musical sync. And the crowd slowly gathers in awe, including her mother, who appears in the background filming, her face beaming with pride.

But it wasn’t just a beautiful moment. It was perfectly edited to maximize viewer retention, which is everything on Reels and TikTok.

• A hook at the start: “Watch what she will do.”
• Subtle visual cues: Arrows pointing to the mother filming in the background, timed right as emotions peak, a popup text block that reads, "no one expected what will happen..."
• A slow build: The pianist doesn’t jump into the song. There’s tension. Anticipation. You need to keep watching.

The storytelling pace was on point. You go from “Will he know the song?” to “Can she actually sing?” to “This is incredible!” in under a minute.

The takeaway: Viral Reels need more than great moments, they need smart packaging. A strong hook, emotional pacing, and just the right edits are what turn an everyday interaction into a must-watch story.

7. XXXTentacion's final post before his death (2018)

Likes: 33.9M (and counting)

Posted by: @xxxtentacion

Sometimes a post becomes iconic not because of what it shows, but because of what it means in hindsight.

About a month before he was tragically shot and killed at age 20, rapper XXXTentacion shared what would become his final Instagram post. The image was a hauntingly simple shot of his side profile, upside down, with the caption, "LOVE IS WAR."

The post resurfaced immediately after his death and quickly became a place where fans grieved, paid tribute, and tried to decode its meaning. To this day, it still collects thousands of new likes and comments every day.

The takeaway: Virality can stem from tragedy, but engagement doesn’t equal celebration. When creating content, recognize that sometimes the emotional context, not the content itself, is what people respond to. Moments that feel final, raw, or symbolic draw people in deeply, especially when timing gives them new meaning.

8. Messi celebrating his World Cup win in Buenos Aires (2022)

Likes: 33.9M

Posted by: @leomessi

In this post, Messi shares a shot of himself standing atop a team bus, parading through Buenos Aires with the World Cup trophy in hand. Around him was a sea of fans (five million strong) filling every street, rooftop, and balcony as far as the eye could see.

Unlike Messi’s more intimate posts, this one captured the scale of joy — millions of people united in celebration. And for Argentinians, this wasn’t just football. It was heritage. Culture. Identity. And Messi had finally delivered what Maradona last brought home in 1986.

The takeaway: There's power in scale, but only when it’s earned. This post worked not just because it was big, but because it was deserved. If your content taps into something shared — something people want to be part of — it doesn’t just get likes. It becomes a movement.

9. Ronaldo joins Saudi Arabia's Al-Nassr FC (2022)

Likes: 33.8M

Posted by: @alnassr in collaboration with @cristiano

This wasn’t just a signing, it was a statement. After a public falling-out with Manchester United and a rocky World Cup performance, many expected Ronaldo to fade from the spotlight. Instead, he took a deal worth €200M/year, instantly shifting the global conversation.

No one saw this coming. A player of Ronaldo’s caliber choosing to leave European football? It stirred debate, praise, and controversy all at once. And he didn't even post it himself (Al-Nassr's account was the publisher). So he had his mic-drop moment, but there was no emotional farewell.

The takeaway: Big moves don’t need big words. If your brand is strong and the moment is newsworthy, simplicity wins. Let the moment speak, stay low-key in the moments leading up to it, and the audience will handle the amplification.

10. @jiangzhibin24’s viral sunset Reel (2023)

Likes: 33.6M

Posted by: @jiangzhibin24

No celebrities. No voiceover. No trending audio. Just a sunset — and somehow, it broke the internet.

In 2023, a Reel by @jiangzhibin24 featuring a jaw-droppingly vibrant sunset over a quiet suburban horizon racked up more than 33 million likes. It came out of nowhere. No hook, no plot twist, no person on camera. Just color, light, and stillness.

Which begs the question: Why did this go viral in the first place?

Here’s the twist: @jiangzhibin24 didn’t just happen to catch a beautiful sunset. Their entire account is only sunsets. Hundreds of them. Most of their posts perform modestly. But this one hit a perfect storm of timing, beauty, and algorithmic magic.

The takeaway: Not every viral post needs a gimmick or story arc. When you consistently show up, you give yourself more chances for one post to land. This wasn’t luck, it was a numbers game.

11. Ronaldo's FIFA World Cup elimination post (2022)

Likes: 33.6M

Posted by: @cristiano

After Portugal was eliminated by Morocco in the 2022 World Cup quarterfinals, Cristiano Ronaldo broke his silence with a deeply personal Instagram post. In it, he reflected on his 19-year journey with the national team, acknowledged the pain of falling short, and left his future with Portugal open-ended.

Ronaldo’s brand is built on strength, confidence, and invincibility. To see him post in a humbled, human defeat was striking. And fans knew this might be his last World Cup. The caption was deliberately cryptic, ending with "Now, let's hope that time will be a good advisor and allow everyone to draw their own conclusions."

The takeaway: Sometimes the most impactful content is the most honest. If your brand is known for being polished and powerful, showing vulnerability at the right moment is a powerful way to deepen your already-existing connection.

12. Ronaldo takes an icy dip in Lapland, Finland (2024)

Likes: 32.4M

Posted by: @cristiano

On Christmas Eve 2024, Cristiano Ronaldo posted a Reel of himself casually stepping into a freezing lake in Lapland, Finland, like it was no big deal. It was the kind of post you watch twice, not just because it looks painful, but because Ronaldo makes it look effortless.

This wasn’t a match highlight. It was just Ronaldo being… Ronaldo. Confident. Composed. Adventurous. And a little bit goofy. Fans love that side of him.

Not to mention, posting it on Christmas Eve helped boost reach, with fans already online and relaxed. It was festive, chill (literally), and perfectly timed.

The takeaway: Not every viral post has to be epic or emotional. Sometimes, personality is the strategy. Let people see your unfiltered moments.

13. Messi v. Ronaldo chess match, again (2022)

Likes: 32.1M+

Posted by: @leomessi

Yes, this is the same image on the list a second time. Same shot, same campaign, same impact. But this version was posted from Messi’s account and racked up over 31 million likes on its own.

What does that tell us?

That when the concept is this strong (two of the greatest footballers of all time, in a moment of quiet rivalry, framed with artistic precision) it doesn’t matter who posts it first. The image itself carries enough cultural weight to go ultra-viral multiple times across different audiences.

When two global icons collaborate, they’re not splitting attention. They’re doubling it.

The takeaway: When you have a universally resonant concept, don’t be afraid to let multiple voices carry it. Great content doesn’t dilute, it multiplies.

14. Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce they're expecting twins (2021)

Likes: 32M

Posted by: @cristiano and @georginagio

In this post, Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez lie side by side in bed, holding an ultrasound image, grinning with quiet excitement. The caption reads simply: “Delighted to announce we are expecting twins.”

And the world collectively hit like.

Instagram has always had a soft spot for baby announcements. Kylie Jenner’s 2018 birth reveal was the most-liked photo on the platform before the World Record Egg took that spot. Her 2022 photo of her newborn son and daughter reached over 22 million likes. And Justin Bieber’s first photo of his son quickly became one of the top 10 most-liked Instagram posts, excluding the football world.

The takeaway: When your audience is this big, emotional life updates outperform almost anything else. They humanize you, unite your fanbase, and ride the platform’s natural tendency to amplify good news.

15. Cristiano Ronaldo pays tribute to Pelé (2022)

Likes: 31.6M

Posted by: @cristiano

On December 29, 2022, the day the world lost Pelé, Cristiano Ronaldo posted a heartfelt tribute honoring the Brazilian legend’s life and legacy. The photo showed Pelé smiling and shaking hands with Ronaldo, with a long caption written in Portuguese, reflecting on his influence and irreplaceable role in football history.

Pelé wasn’t just a football icon. He was the icon. The original global superstar. The man who laid the foundation for players like Ronaldo and Messi to become what they are today. And Ronaldo’s message acknowledged that lineage with grace and gratitude.

The takeaway: You don’t always need to be the center of the story. In moments of collective emotion (grief, celebration, remembrance), brands and public figures who show up with empathy and humility create a lasting impact.

16. Taking off animal masks in front of animal moms (2024)

Likes: 30.9M

Posted by: @pop_cj6

In this viral video, a person wears a realistic horse mask while standing in front of an actual horse. When the mask comes off, the horse does a full-body jolt and runs off, visibly flustered to realize the “horse” it was calmly hanging out with is actually a human.

And the next clip is even better. A person wearing a panda mask cuddles up with a panda mother, who seems to lovingly accept them as her cub… until the mask is removed. Her expression is pure shock!

This is anthropomorphism at its best. We want to believe animals are thinking, feeling, and processing what’s happening. These reactions feed into that desire. On top of that, the whole concept is ridiculous, which makes it endlessly watchable and shareable.

The takeaway: Viral content needs engagement hooks, not a deeper meaning. If your idea is simple, visual, and delivers a satisfying reaction, you’re already ahead. Add a panda? Even better.

17. Messi celebrates after defeating Croatia in the World Cup Semifinal (2022)

Likes: 29.1M

Posted by: @leomessi

After Argentina’s decisive 3-0 win over Croatia in the semifinals, Lionel Messi posted a carousel of photos that radiated confidence. This wasn’t the climax, but it was the turning point in the story, where everyone realized Messi might actually do it.

The energy around Messi had never been higher. Each win added fuel. This post captured that rising fire.

The takeaway: Timing matters. When emotion is rising and momentum is shifting, capitalize on that attention by sharing content in those critical moments.

18. Ronaldo presented to Al-Nassr fans (2023)

Likes: 27.2M

Posted by: @cristiano

After the headline-making announcement of his move to Al-Nassr FC, Cristiano Ronaldo was officially presented to fans in Riyadh in early 2023. The photo he posted shows him standing tall in the club’s yellow and blue kit, waving to tens of thousands of fans packed into Mrsool Park Stadium.

With smoke machines, lights, and chants filling the stadium, the production level was huge. And that's precisely what he needed to reposition the move from “end of the road” to “new era.”

The takeaway: When you enter a new chapter (especially one people doubt) make the moment unmissable. Use the power of PR to own the stage, shape the narrative, and let your audience feel the momentum from Day 1.

19. Ronaldo's match against Paris Saint-Germain (2023)

Likes: 27.2M

Posted by: @cristiano

On January 19, 2023, Cristiano Ronaldo faced off against Paris Saint-Germain in a friendly match that felt anything but casual. It marked his debut in Saudi Arabia, and what many assumed would be his final face-off with Lionel Messi.

The fourth photo in the carousel, showing him standing with his arm around Messi, was instantly iconic. While the match had no championship on the line, the emotional weight of it was massive: two of football’s greatest legends, likely meeting for the last time on the pitch.

The takeaway: You don’t need a trophy to create a moment that matters. Nostalgia is a powerful emotion that brands and creators don't tap into enough.

20. Zendaya's "happy birthday" post for Tom Holland (2022)

Likes: 26.2M

Posted by: @zendaya

No lengthy caption here. Just a simple, sweet photo of Zendaya with Tom Holland wrapped around her from behind, and the caption: “Happiest of birthdays to the one who makes me the happiest <3”

Zendaya and Tom Holland have long been one of the internet’s favorite “are they or aren’t they” couples — and this post gave fans exactly what they crave: confirmation with a dose of soft intimacy.

The takeaway: Subtlety = power. The black-and-white image and caption weren’t flashy at all, which is what made it feel real. And in an era of overexposure, that's a breath of fresh air.

Comparative and trend analysis

When you look at the 20 most-liked Instagram posts of all time side by side, certain patterns become impossible to ignore. While each post tells its own story, there are clear emotional triggers, content formats, and timing we see repeat across the board.

Football (soccer) dominates Instagram.

Over half of the top 20 posts are from just two players: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. That’s not a coincidence. Their reach spans continents, languages, and demographics.

Moments that reflect legacy, milestones, or emotion (like winning a World Cup or paying tribute to a legend) consistently outperform everything else.

What that means is, if your audience is global, you can’t ignore football. For brands, aligning with the sport (even through adjacent content like commentary or reaction videos) gives you massive virality potential.

Emotion wins every time.

From Messi finally lifting the World Cup to Zendaya’s quiet birthday post for Tom Holland, emotional content consistently outperforms. Joy, nostalgia, grief, surprise — if a post taps into a feeling, people engage.

Personal milestones (birth announcements, tributes, retirements) are a great starting point because they evoke shared human experience. In some of your content, have a healthy dose of vulnerability as well, because that's what solidifies trust in the long run.

Keep it simple, stupid.

Most viral content isn't intricate at all. Think: the World Record Egg, a dreamy sunset, a cute pianist-child duet, or a masked human fooling a horse. These posts didn’t rely on text, sound, or high production value. Simplicity helps content transcend language barriers and pull in global audiences.

Before posting, ask: Will someone stop scrolling even without reading the caption?

Nothing beats consistency.

Virality isn’t always about luck. It’s usually about reps. @jiangzhibin24’s viral sunset post was the hundred-something-th sunset. When you post in volume, you give yourself more chances to hit the algorithm jackpot.

Cultural timing and narrative arcs matter.

Some posts hit not because they’re “big,” but because they land at the perfect moment in a larger story.

• Messi’s semi-final post was the turning point, not the climax.
• Ronaldo’s cold plunge landed on Christmas Eve in Santa’s backyard.
• Tribute posts like Pelé’s worked because of the shared timing of grief.

Post during the emotional peak and you'll get the attention.

Celebrity intimacy > celebrity glamour.

The most viral celebrity posts aren't red carpet looks. A father-son photo. A breakup. A vulnerable caption. A low-key birthday shoutout. Give your audience access, and they’ll give you engagement.

Create content that's usable across platforms.

Many of these posts (like the animal mask video and piano duet) went viral across TikTok, Twitter, Reddit, and YouTube before or alongside their Instagram success. When different channels pick it up, your reach multiplies, so your best bet is to make content that's designed to travel.

The impact of Instagram’s engagement culture

On Instagram, likes, comments, and shares are the currency, and engagement culture is the engine that powers influence, virality, and social proof. Looking at the most-liked posts of all time tells us a lot about how this culture works and why it matters for anyone who wants to grow online.

Likes signal a clear consensus.

When a post racks up 20, 30, even 75 million likes, it sends a message: this matters. They’re a signal to the algorithm and the public that a post is worth seeing.

The result is that the rich get richer. Once a post crosses a certain threshold, the snowball effect begins, and mass visibility follows.

Engagement culture rewards spectacle, emotion, and identity.

Instagram favors content that sparks immediate emotional reactions: awe, joy, nostalgia, sadness, pride.

That’s why we see such strong performance from:

• Historic sports wins (Messi’s World Cup)
• Emotional personal milestones (pregnancies, tributes)
• Posts that say anything about who the viewer is or wants to be (Ronaldo’s cold dip, animal empathy videos)

Instagram's engagement culture is about feeling seen and sharing that feeling with the crowd.

Social proof drives behavior (whether we admit it or not).

When you see that a photo already has 20 million likes, you’re more likely to engage with it — even if subconsciously. This is the heart of social proof: If everyone else thinks this is worth liking, maybe I should too.

That’s why early momentum matters. That’s why celebrity posts dominate. And that’s why users who go viral once often go viral again.

The line between "personal" and "private" is blurring.

The doctored photos of celebrities are so last decade. Most influencer and celebrity content we see going viral today strikes the perfect balance between “this is just for you” and “this is for the world.” Paradoxically, the more your content feels personal, the more public it'll probably go.

Final thoughts

Some of these posts made us laugh. Some were perfectly timed. And a few — let’s be honest — simply rode the wave of superstardom.

But they all have something in common: they captured attention and held it. Whether it was Messi lifting the World Cup, an egg standing up to toxic influencer culture, or a sunset that stopped the scroll, each post met a specific moment in a way that made people want to participate.

Here’s the truth: You don’t need to be a football legend to go viral. But you do need to understand what makes people feel, what makes them share, and what makes them stay.