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When an Argentinian commentator called New Zealand defender Tim Payne the “least known player” of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, millions of football fans acted as if it was a personal insult and took action on Payne’s behalf.
Payne has seen his Instagram follower count rise from less than 5,000 to more than 5 million since social media personality “El Scarso” called him the tournament’s least known player in late May. Since then, the two men have made amends, with Payne meeting with El Scarso earlier in June. Payne even gave El Scarso a kit and thanked him for the attention he received in a social media post.
“The last week has been a crazy ride, but thank you to @elscarso for everything he has done for me, my family and New Zealand football,” Payne wrote. “Nice to meet you in person today, buddy.”
So, with Payne quickly becoming one of the most followed players at the World Cup, here’s what you need to know about the New Zealand defender.
Why was Tim Payne called “the least known?” »
El Scarso’s comment about Payne could have come from a good place. Before the World Cup, El Scarso said he wanted to find a player who would “unite us all”. In order to find this player, El Scarso said he looked through the social media accounts of every player set to compete in the World Cup and tried to find the one with the fewest followers.
“After analyzing them one by one, I found it. In group G, in New Zealand, there is Tim Payne,” said El Scarso. “He’s really the least known. He doesn’t even have 5,000 followers!”
How did Tim Payne react to the comment?
Days after El Scarso’s initial comment, Payne thanked the influencer in an Instagram post.
“It’s been a crazy 48 hours to say the least,” Payne said. “I just wanted to also express that I am very grateful.”
How long has Tim Payne played for New Zealand?
Payne made his first cap for the New Zealand senior team in 2012, but he was not a mainstay during that time. The 32-year-old from Auckland, New Zealand, has 52 career caps for his country ahead of New Zealand’s opening match of the 2026 World Cup against Iran on Monday.
Payne also has three goals in that span. His most recent goal came in New Zealand’s 7-0 win over Fiji in the World Cup qualifier, adding three assists.
What club team is Tim Payne on?
Payne has been a member of Wellington Phoenix in the Australian Men’s A-League since 2019, recording 143 caps and four goals during his time with the team. He is currently under contract for the 2027-28 season.
Before joining Wellington Phoenix, Payne played for Eastern Suburbs AFC of the New Zealand Northern League from 2016 to 2019. He was also part of the Portland Timbers’ reserve team for a year in 2015-2016.
Where does Tim Payne rank among the most followed accounts?
Payne’s 5.8 million Instagram followers as of Tuesday afternoon are a pretty impressive number. However, this number lags well behind some of the most followed accounts in football. Cristiano Ronaldo is the most followed footballer on Instagram, with 666 million followers as of Monday. Lionel Messi has 506 million followers.
Still, Payne has become a well-known name among football fans online and in New Zealand. He is one of the most followed Kiwis on Instagram. Her 5.7 million followers are not far from the singer Lorde (11 million) who continues to gain influence.
