How Tim Payne, the World Cup’s ‘least known’ player, became a social media sensation | OneFootball

New Zealand full-back Tim Payne has seen his Instagram following rocket from 4,000 to more than four million after Argentinian influencer Valen Scarsini, known as El Scarso, dubbed him the World Cup’s ‘least known’ player and urged fans to follow him. The tournament runs from 11 June to 19 July. In a rugby-mad country, he now has over one million more followers than the All Blacks combined.

The 32-year-old Wellington Phoenix defender appears unfazed. “For now I feel he is handling it very well, probably better than many other players would have,” said New Zealand head coach Darren Bazeley, speaking to stuff.co.nz.

“The players are talking about it. I hear the jokes they share with Tim and I think it is great,” Bazeley added. “Putting Tim on a pedestal like that was really cool, and it is probably not something he or anyone expected. I do not know where it will stop, or what that world really involves. I try to stay out of it, as most coaches do.”

Payne has called the surge pretty crazy and is set to meet El Scarso, who has flown to Florida for New Zealand’s friendly with Haiti on Tuesday, two am in France. If he adds another one million followers, his total would exceed New Zealand’s population of 5.3 million.

The international has three goals in 50 caps, far short of Cristiano Ronaldo, the most followed person on Instagram with more than 670 million. Ranked 85th by FIFA, New Zealand are the lowest-placed of the 48 finalists and will face Belgium, Iran and Egypt in Group G.

Source: L'Équipe