- Lionel Messi has set yet another record after winning the World Cup
- The Argentina captain’s post of lifting the trophy has earned 56 million likes
- The forward scored twice in the Final and also netted in the penalty shootout
Lionel Messi’s Instagram message celebrating Argentina’s World Cup win has become the most popular post in the social media platform’s history, with 56 million likes.
Messi finally won international football’s greatest prize after Argentine edged out France 4-2 on penalties after a thrilling 3-3 draw in Sunday’s final at Lusail Stadium.
For the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, it is the final rubber stamp on his status as the greatest footballer of his generation and arguably the greatest of all time.
Now, Messi has another record to his name, with his post in the wake of Argentina’s success surpassing the previous high-water mark held by the World Record Egg, which gained 55.9 million likes.
“Thank you very much to my family, to all who support me and also to all who believed in us,” the 35-year-old wrote in his caption.
“We demonstrate once again that Argentines when we fight together and united, we are capable of achieving what we set out to do
The merit belongs to this group, which is above individuals. It is the strength of all fighting for the same dream that was also the dream of all Argentines… We did it!!!”
Messi was named the World Cup Golden Ball recipient for the second time, scored twice in Sunday’s final and netted the first successful penalty of his side’s shoot-out.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Messi and Ronaldo have been breaking each other’s records for most-liked social media posts for some time. Almost 18 months ago, Messi broke Ronaldo’s previous record when his position celebrating Argentina’s 2021 Copa America victory received nearly 22 million.
Guinness World Records shared a series of records broken by Messi after the final, noting that he had surpassed Germany’s Lothar Matthaus for most World Cup matches, with 26.
The World Cup had been the one piece of silverware missing from Messi’s extraordinary career, during which he has been voted the world’s best player a record seven times and won the Copa America, 11 league titles and four Champions League titles, among other major honours.
