SARASOTA, Florida — Tim Payne, a defender for New Zealand, has emerged as a standout story in the lead-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, thanks in part to a viral campaign initiated by Argentine social media influencer “El Scarso.”
On Tuesday, Valen Scarsini, known as “El Scarso,” shared a video highlighting Payne as the “least known” player heading into the World Cup based on his Instagram following. He encouraged viewers to rally together and elevate Payne’s online presence.
“With just a few days left before the World Cup, we’re eager to support our national teams, but what if we had a player who could unite us all, a footballer we could cheer for regardless of our nationality?” Scarsini remarked in his video.
“I searched through all the national teams and discovered the least known player. In Group G, New Zealand’s Tim Payne is the one. He has fewer than 5,000 followers!”
The rapid response was astonishing. Following Scarsini’s shoutout, Payne’s Instagram followers skyrocketed from under 5,000 to around 1.5 million, surpassing the follower counts of both the New Zealand national team and his club, Wellington, as well as exceeding the total followers of the A-League Men league.
Scarsini has a reputation for making lesser-known players famous; previously, he helped a fifth-division club from Liechtenstein, FC Balzers, increase their followers from 15 to 440,000 in just days.
Payne’s newfound fame has overshadowed fellow Kiwi international Chris Wood, whose 162,000 Instagram followers now pale in comparison. Comments on Payne’s recent posts showcase the excitement from his rapidly growing fanbase, with remarks like “no Payn, no gain” from Mexican influencer Mercedes Roa.
Prior to this sudden surge in fame, Payne didn’t actively post on social media, but he found time to message Scarsini during a busy travel schedule as New Zealand prepares for pre-World Cup scrimmages against Haiti and England. In a direct message, he expressed gratitude to Scarsini, saying, “I was wondering why my socials were blowing up and found your post, man, appreciate the love! Gracias, hermano.”
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The Wellington Phoenix and A-League’s official accounts have also jumped into the spotlight, with the league’s social media team making four posts about Payne within eight hours, while the Phoenix shared highlight reels and a playful response to the sudden Latin American engagement.
If his follower count remains high, Payne will have a significant audience to cheer for him during the All Whites’ three group matches in the World Cup, where he is expected to start at right back over a challenge from Callan Elliot.
Competing in Group G and based in San Diego, New Zealand will kick off their World Cup journey against Iran on June 15 in Los Angeles, followed by matches against Egypt in Vancouver on June 21 and Belgium, also in Vancouver, on June 26.
If they make it to the knockout rounds, Payne’s social media fame could expand even further.