😅The link between Colo Colo and the week's viral hit | OneFootball

New Zealand defender Tim Payne has become the most viral figure in the buildup to the 2026 World Cup. Driven by a campaign by Argentine streamer Elscarso, the footballer went from obscurity to surpassing one million followers on social media. Amid this phenomenon, an unexpected link tying him to Colo Colo came to light.

The link with the "Kiwi Messi"

The connection between Payne and the popular club has a first and last name: Marco Rojas. The defender and the attacking midfielder shared the dressing room for years with the New Zealand national team, playing together in the Oceania qualifiers and in various continental tournaments with the All Whites.

An unforgettable memory in Macul

While Payne established himself in his country as a versatile defender, Rojas moved to Chile in 2022 to sign for the "Cacique." Nicknamed the "Kiwi Messi," the midfielder was etched into the memory of Colo Colo fans after scoring a memorable screamer against O'Higgins at the Monumental Stadium, a key moment in the club’s historic 33rd league title.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

📸 Hagen Hopkins - 2026 Getty Images