New Zealand's Tim Payne Gains Millions of Followers Ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026
New Zealand defender Tim Payne has rapidly gained over 4 million Instagram followers after Argentine influencer Valen Scarsini highlighted him as the least-known player at the FIFA World Cup 2026. Payne is managing the sudden social media attention calmly, focusing on the tournament. New Zealand coach Darren Bazeley acknowledged his limited understanding of social media but praised Payne's composed response. Payne's follower count now surpasses prominent New Zealand athletes like cricketer Kane Williamson and the All Blacks rugby team.