From Invisible to 660K Followers: How One World Cup Player Went Viral Overnight

Tim Payne was living the quiet life of a professional footballer—solid, reliable, completely under the radar. Then one Argentine influencer decided that wasn’t fair.

In just a couple of days, New Zealand defender Tim Payne’s Instagram account exploded from 4,715 followers to 660,000. The trigger? Argentine influencer Valen Scarsini, known as“elscarso”on Instagram and TikTok, made a video calling Payne the“least known player at the World Cup”and encouraged his massive audience to flood the Wellington Phoenix and All Whites defender with likes, comments, and follows. It worked spectacularly—and hilariously, Payne’s follower count now dwarfs that of New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, All Blacks rugby star Ardie Savea, and even Scarsini himself.

The 32-year-old versatile defender has earned his obscurity honestly. After hitting headlines in 2020 when he broke quarantine during the COVID pandemic and was charged with drink-driving for taking a golf cart on a joyride with a teammate, Payne kept his head down. A Sydney court fined him A$700 (approximately $498). Since then, he’s stayed quietly professional, accumulating 50 New Zealand caps while dodging the spotlight.

Now, at the World Cup as part of Darren Bazeley’s squad, Payne found himself thrust into viral stardom—and handled it with grace. His response to Scarsini was humble:“Was wondering why my socials were blowing up and found your post, man. Appreciate the love! Gracias, hermano.”It’s the kind of moment that would’ve been impossible a few years ago, when social media could amplify a past mistake into permanent record. Instead, Payne got a second chance at relevance, handed to him by the whims of the internet.

New Zealand, the lowest-ranked team at the World Cup, opens their campaign against Iran in Los Angeles on June 15, followed by Egypt and Belgium in Group G. Whether Payne becomes a household name or fades back into the woodwork likely depends on what happens on the pitch. But for now, the world knows his name—thanks to one influencer and the beautiful chaos of virality.