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When an Argentine 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 were a personal insult and acted on Payne’s behalf.
Payne has seen his Instagram following grow 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. However, the two have since made peace, and Payne met El Scarso in early June. Payne even gifted El Scarso a kit and thanked him for the attention he received in a social media post.
“This past week has been crazy but thanks to @elscarso for everything he has done for me, my family and New Zealand football,” Payne wrote. “It’s a pleasure to meet you in person today, friend.”
As Payne has quickly become 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 might actually have come from a good place. Before the World Cup, El Scarso said he wanted to find a player who would “unite us all.” To find that player, El Scarso said he reviewed the social media accounts of each player who will play in the World Cup and tried to find which one had the fewest followers.
“After analyzing them one by one, I found it. In Group G, in New Zealand, there is Tim Payne,” El Scarso said. “He’s really the least known. He doesn’t even have 5,000 followers!”
How did Tim Payne react to the comment?
A couple of 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’m very grateful.”
How long has Tim Payne played for New Zealand?
Payne earned his first international cap for New Zealand’s senior team in 2012, but has not been a mainstay during that time. The 32-year-old from Auckland, New Zealand, has 52 caps for his country ahead of New Zealand’s opening match at the 2026 World Cup against Iran on Monday.
Payne also has three goals during that span. His most recent goal came in New Zealand’s 7-0 victory over Fiji in World Cup qualifying, adding three assists.
Which club team is Tim Payne on?
Payne has been a member of the Wellington Phoenix in the Australian Men’s A-League since 2019, recording 143 caps and four goals during his time with the team. He currently has a contract until 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 with the Portland Timbers reserve team for one year in 2015-16.
Where does Tim Payne rank among the most followed accounts?
Payne’s 5.8 million Instagram followers as of Tuesday afternoon is a pretty impressive number. However, that number is quite a bit 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 household name among football fans online and in New Zealand. He is among the most followed Kiwis on Instagram. Her 5.7 million followers are not far behind the singer Lorde (11 million), who continues to gain influence.
