From 4,000 to 1.5 Million Followers: How Fans Made Tim Payne the New ‘GOAT’ Before the 2026 World Cup
The 2026 World Cup will showcase stars like Ronaldo, Messi and Yamal. But a surprise underdog has stolen the global spotlight. New Zealand defender Tim Payne jumped from just 4,000 to over 1.5 million Instagram followers in days. This whirlwind rise came after influencer Valen Scarsini challenged fans to crown the least-known player at the tournament. Supporters flooded Payne’s accounts with likes, comments and dedicated videos. They even vandalised his Wikipedia entry to hail him as one of the world’s best. Training in Florida, Payne thanked everyone and joked about practising his Spanish. This viral sensation has injected new excitement into New Zealand’s third World Cup campaign, as fans rally behind their freshly crowned “GOAT” in pursuit of a historic victory.
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