Sunday, August 30, 2026
The FOS App Launches September 1 Pre-save on the App Store Today

Ronaldo, Messi Team Up for Second-Most-Liked Instagram Post Ever

  • Ronaldo’s post depicting the pair playing chess has garnered over 36.9 million likes.
  • Ronaldo became the first person in Instagram history with over 500 million followers.
Louis Vuitton campaign featuring Lionel Messi and Cristiano Rolando playing each other in chess
Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have dominated Instagram once again.

Ronaldo’s post depicting the pair of all-time great soccer players playing chess against one another has garnered 36.9 million likes as of writing — the second-most-liked Instagram post of all time.

 

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

A post shared by Cristiano Ronaldo (@cristiano)

Messi’s accompanying post has 28.5 million likes — so far, the fifth-most-liked post on the platform ever.

The images posted Sunday — the day of the 2022 World Cup’s start — were part of a paid partnership with Louis Vuitton and were captured by world-famous photographer Annie Leibovitz.

Including the new campaign, Ronaldo and Messi are each responsible for four of the top 20 most-liked Instagram posts of all time.

Ronaldo also recently became the first person to hit 500 million followers in the social media giant’s history.

According to Nielsen, the average media value of a branded social post from Ronaldo is worth $2.79 million while one from Messi is worth $1.95 — the two most for any soccer player in the world.

Kylian Mbappe completes dribble during France match against Austria during Nations League match

World Cup Brings Together Highest-Paid Soccer Players

Kylian Mbappé is the World Cup’s highest-paid player.
November 20, 2022

For as much clout as the two GOATs carry, they still can’t approach the most-liked Instagram post of all time.

That honor belongs to a picture of an egg that has captured 55.9 million likes since January 2019.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign up for
The Memo Newsletter

Get the biggest stories and best analysis on the business of sports delivered to your inbox twice every weekday and twice on weekends.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

UEFA Takes FIFA, Kushner Company to Court Over World Cup Scheme

The battle between FIFA and UEFA is heading to court.
Mark Walter, CEO of Guggenheim Partners, speaks during a reception hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump for the reigning Major League Baseball (MLB) World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the Rose Garden at the White House, Washington, D.C., U.S., July 23, 2026.

Walter’s Company Says There’s No Fraud, No Victim, and No Fire Sale

TWG Global insists the Dodgers are not up for grabs.

Europe Set to Drop FIFA Boycott Ahead of Women’s U-20 World Cup

The tournament was set to be the first hit by the boycott.
Exclusive

NWSL’s Stars Will Return to Northwestern Lakeside Stadium

The NWSL club originally sought to play in the new Ryan Field.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

A Conversation with Bengals Star Tee Higgins on Contract Negotiations, Turf & More

0:00

Featured Today

Aug 3, 2026; Washington, D.C., USA; Alexandra Eala (PHI) kisses the championship trophy during the trophy ceremony after her match against Jessica Pegula (USA) (not pictured) in the women's singles final of the 2026 Mubadala DC Open at Rock Creek Park Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

How Alex Eala Turned the Philippines Into a Tennis Nation

A December homecoming match could break tennis’s attendance record.
August 26, 2026

Deshaun Watson Has Done the Impossible: Unite Browns Fans

Watson was named the starter after complaining boos were “personal.”
August 23, 2026

Dan Snyder ‘Invisible’ in NFL Three Years After Commanders Sale

Snyder has had little to no contact with former NFL associates.
Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Burnley - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - May 18, 2026 Arsenal's Kai Havertz scores their first goal past Burnley's Max Weiss
August 21, 2026

Why the Premier League’s Star-Power Shortage Doesn’t Matter

The world’s richest soccer league doesn’t rely on big stars to dominate.
August 12, 2026

Trendy Golf Hat Divide Is More Than a Fashion Fight

As golf has gotten trendier, so has the sport’s style.
August 27, 2026

Cameron Brink Calls Enes Kanter Freedom a ‘Stupid Piece of Shit’

Freedom was removed from a WNBA game Sunday.
Aug 23, 2026; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Jessica Pegula (USA) returns a shot against Coco Gauff (USA) during the finals of the Cincinnati Open at Lindner Family Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
August 28, 2026

Tennis Stars Excited About Grand Slam Council, Details Remain Sparse

Jessica Pegula says the main issue remains players’ revenue share.
Sponsored

Kerri Walsh Jennings’s Playbook for the Future of Volleyball

The former gold medalist talks NCAA, the Olympics, & investing in volleyball.
August 25, 2026

Top Players Eliminated Early in Revamped US Open Mixed Doubles

Three pairs of doubles specialists lost on Tuesday.
August 24, 2026

Browns Name Watson Starter in Final Season of $230M Deal

Watson called Cleveland fans “disrespectful” for booing him.
August 22, 2026

How Cincy’s $260M Facelift Overhauled the ‘Worst’ Stop in Tennis

The tournament was nearly relocated to Charlotte.
Sep 7, 2025; Flushing, NY, USA; Jannik Sinner (ITA) reacts against Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) (not pictured) during the final of mens singles at Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
August 21, 2026

Jannik Sinner Announces He Will Miss the US Open

Carlos Alcaraz announced Thursday that he will return at the US Open.