Photo: Shaun Botterill - FIFA/FIFA via Getty
Lionel Messiis a champion in more ways than one.
The 35-year-old soccer star markedArgentina’s World Cup title victorywith pictures shared in an Instagram post earlier this week.
One photo shows him holding the coveted FIFA World Cup Trophy; in another, he is celebrating with his teammates. The post also features Messi kissing the trophy.
The image earned the title of themost-liked photo on Instagramshortly after it was posted in January 2019. Before the egg,Kylie Jenner’s first photoof her now 4-year-olddaughterStormi Webstertopped the list.
The picture, posted five days after Stormi’s birth in February 2018, had roughly18 million likes.
ODD ANDERSEN/AFP via Getty
Messi’s social media victory comes after saying he doesn’t plan to leave theinternational soccer stageanytime soon.
After speaking toTyC Sportsafter the team’s win, Messi explained, “I won the Copa America and the World Cup quickly. I love what I do, being in the national team, and I want to continue living a few more games being world champion.”
The statement was a reversal from what the superstar previously said about winding down his international career. According toThe Athletic, Messi had said this would be his final go at the World Cup tournament after the team’s semi-final victory over Croatia, leading to speculation he would retire from the national team. “It’s my last World Cup,” he said.
Sunday’s victory brought Messi his long-sought first World Cup title, which he told TyC Sports was “a childhood dream.”
“I was lucky to have achieved everything in this career … and this one that was missing is here,” he told the outlet. “It’s madness.”
RELATED VIDEO: Argentina Defeats France to Win 2022 World Cup Behind Lionel Messi in Shootout
Holding the most-liked photos on Instagram isn’t the only historic move Messi made this week.
According to ESPN, Messi broke the record for most World Cup appearances with his 26th game on Sunday.
In a thrilling match that went to extra time and then a shootout between Argentina and the former reigning champion France, Lionel Messi scored two goals to help secure the win for Argentina.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
The final score was 3-3, decided in a shootout, which ended 4-2.
While it is Messi’s first World Cup win, the weekend victory was Argentina’s third. They previously won the FIFA tournament in 1978 and 1986. Before that, Argentina had been runners-up thrice, in 1930, 1990, and 2014.
source: people.com
