NZ defender Tim Payne gains 4.9 M Instagram followers

New Zealand defender Tim Payne has become an unlikely global social media phenomenon ahead of the FIFA World Cup, gaining millions of Instagram followers after an Argentine influencer singled him out. The 32-year-old Wellington Phoenix player, who had fewer than 5,000 followers last week, saw his account surge to over 4.9 million after influencer Valen Scarsini, known as El Scarso, identified him as the tournament's "least known" player and urged his audience to support him.

Scarsini's campaign, which called for fans to unite behind Payne regardless of nationality, sparked an online explosion. It generated a viral song titled "No Payne, No Gain," flooded Payne's account with supportive messages in multiple languages, and led to his follower count surpassing that of iconic New Zealand entities like the All Blacks rugby team and cricketer Kane Williamson. The two men met for the first time on Wednesday at New Zealand's training camp in Florida, where Payne presented Scarsini with a team shirt. Payne thanked him for the support, stating it was positive for himself and New Zealand football but emphasized that he remains focused on his performance.