New Zealand international Tim Payne has found himself at the centre of an unexpected social media phenomenon ahead of the World Cup.
Key Highlights
- Tim Payne's Instagram following surged from fewer than 5,000 to more than 2.5 million.
- Argentine influencer Valen Scarsini launched a viral campaign to make Payne a World Cup cult hero.
- Payne thanked fans worldwide after receiving overwhelming support online.
- New Zealand will begin their World Cup campaign against Iran on June 16.
Viral campaign transforms Payne into internet sensation
The Wellington Phoenix defender saw his online following skyrocket after Argentine content creator Valen Scarsini, better known as "elscarso", identified him as one of the tournament's least-known players and launched a campaign to boost his profile.
The initiative proved an instant success, with Payne's Instagram audience jumping from under 5,000 followers to more than 2.5 million in just a matter of days. The remarkable rise has even seen the defender surpass the social media reach of many of New Zealand's most recognisable public figures.
Influencer calls on fans to support Payne
Scarsini used his large audience across TikTok and Instagram to rally support behind the 32-year-old defender, with his original video attracting more than six million views. Explaining why he selected Payne, the influencer encouraged football fans around the world to help turn the full-back into one of the World Cup's breakout stories.
"I looked at all the teams that play the World Cup for the least-known player and, after analysing one by one, I found it.
"Tim Payne is a defender and has a very difficult task: help New Zealand win their first World Cup match. They have never won one. What needs to be done to be the hero of the World Cup? First, follow Tim Payne. I'm going to tag him. Explode his posts with likes and comments. We need to start naming Tim Payne everywhere. You have to make videos feeding the legend of Tim Payne. If you have the World Cup album, upload a photo with your sticker."
Payne responds with heartfelt message
The viral campaign eventually caught Payne's attention, prompting direct contact between the player and Scarsini.
Speaking from New Zealand's training camp in Florida, Payne first reached out privately before sharing a public video thanking supporters for the unexpected attention.
"Was wondering why my socials were blowing up and found your post, man. Appreciate the love! Gracias, hermano.
"Please excuse my Spanish, I'm still practising on Duolingo. Just want to say a massive thank you first to you, Valen, it's been a pretty crazy 48 hours to say the least. I just wanted to also express that I'm very grateful to represent my country at this World Cup, and I appreciate all the love from all around the world. Muchas gracias."
The message was warmly received by fans, further fuelling the growing online movement around the defender.
World Cup challenge now takes centre stage
With the social media frenzy continuing to grow, Payne's attention will soon return to matters on the pitch as New Zealand prepare for their World Cup campaign.
The All Whites, who are the lowest-ranked team in the tournament, will kick off their group-stage journey against Iran at SoFi Stadium on June 16 before taking on Egypt and Belgium. After helping New Zealand navigate qualification, Payne now faces the challenge of guiding his country to a historic milestone — securing their first-ever victory at a World Cup finals.
