Tim Payne is a New Zealand footballer who plays as a defender for the All Whites and Wellington Phoenix. This week, while he was preparing for the FIFA World Cup in Florida, he accidentally became an internet superstar. An Argentinian influencer called Valen Scarsini picked Payne as the “least-known” player going to the tournament and asked fans to support him. Then Payne’s Instagram followers raced from about 4,700 to more than 2 million, which is the sort of jump that might make your phone ask for a rest. Tim Payne is a New Zealand footballer who plays as a defender for the All Whites and Wellington Phoenix. This week, while he was preparing for the FIFA World Cup in Florida, he accidentally became an internet superstar. An Argentinian influencer called Valen Scarsini picked Payne as the “least-known” player going to the tournament and asked fans to support him. He now has more followers than even the All Blacks.
Payne first realised something odd was happening when his notifications started popping up like popcorn. The video about him was in Spanish, so he asked his wife to translate it. By the next morning, hundreds of thousands of people had followed him. For a player who usually likes keeping his head down, this was a very surprising way to wake up.
Payne has played for New Zealand since 2012 and is known for working hard rather than chasing fame. He has admitted the attention feels strange, but he is trying to enjoy it and have a laugh. Fans have filled his posts with kind messages, and some have even used the catchy slogan “No Payne, No Gain.” Big brands and sports accounts have joined in too, making the story even more unexpected.
Now Payne has to focus on football while millions of new fans watch his journey. New Zealand will play at the World Cup, where Payne hopes the team can make its supporters proud. Kiwi Kids News also has its own All Whites poll asking, “Who is your favourite?” Readers can click on the front page and scroll to the bottom to vote. One minute Payne was preparing for a match, and the next minute he had more Instagram followers than one of New Zealand’s most famous sports teams.
