Lionel Messi's most-liked photo in Instagram history was with a fake World Cup trophy - and he didn't even know before racking up 74 million likes
Ava Hudson
Updated on April 07, 2026
Lionel Messi’s photograph with the World Cup has become the most liked picture in Instagram’s history, but it turns out he was holding a fake trophy.
Messi smashed the social networks record with over 74million likes on his first post after achieving ultimate glory in Qatar.
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Posing with the World Cup aloft after scoring twice in a final win over France, the Argentina captain breezed past the record previously held by an egg.
He and long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo have locked out photo sharing platform’s top ten most-liked posts along with ‘@world_record_egg’ but Messi is in league of his own when it comes to top spot.
However, it’s now been reported in Argentina that the record-breaking post was not with the prize he received from FIFA president Gianni Infantino minutes earlier.
It was instead a replica that was passed around by the Argentina players after a family of supporters had handed it onto the pitch in order to get it signed.
Photographs after the incident captured Angel Di Maria showing Messi the underside of the fake, much to the pairs’ amusement.
A couple called Paula and Manuel, who were at the match with their children, have since come forward claiming it was their replica trophy.
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Speaking to Argentine outlet Clarin, Paula said: "Before the World Cup, we contacted people who are dedicated to making mugs and it took them six months to make it, they said.
“It has the weight of the original, it is made of resin and quartz inside and bathed in gold paint. There are details, marks and reliefs that don't look alike, but the difference is minimal.
"The idea was that the players could sign it, but in the end the cup entered the field three times.
“The first time, it was taken by a relative of [Leandro] Paredes, and he signed it. The second time they asked us and it was 45 minutes, it was going from player to player, family member to family member, and they were taking pictures.
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“They said to me 'you lost the cup'. We had fun but we wanted it back. There I shouted at a few players 'if you see the cup that Paredes has, it's ours', and at the end Lautaro Martínez brought it and also signed it.
"When we started to see the photos, we realised that Leo had lifted our trophy, we saw details, especially of the lower part, which confirmed that it was indeed ours.
“Antonella [Messi’s wife] lifted the trophy, and one of their children as well."
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