Tim Payne, the World Cup's "most unknown" player, is a sensation in Argentina… and he plays TODAY
An Argentine influencer dubbed him "the most unknown player in the World Cup" and turned him into a global star: he went from 4,715 to more than 4 million followers in days, surpassing the All Blacks. Today, Tim Payne returns to a pitch with millions of Argentine eyes on him.
A week ago, Tim Payne was a 32-year-old right back for Wellington Phoenix whom almost nobody outside New Zealand could name. Today he is one of the most followed footballers on the planet. The reason? Argentina. And the cherry on top? He plays today.
From 4,715 to more than 4 million followers
It all started with a video from Argentine influencer Valen Scarsini, known as "Scarso", with a premise as absurd as it was brilliant: "What if we turn the most unknown player in the World Cup into the main character?". The rallying cry became a war cry: "we are all Tim Payne".
The chosen one was Payne, a defender for the All Whites who was practically anonymous to the general public. In a matter of days, he went from 4,715 followers on Instagram to more than 4 million, moving ahead of the All Blacks, New Zealand Football itself and every NHL team. In the United States, only the Dodgers and the Yankees have more followers.
The memes came, along with edits, an AI-made song comparing him to Ángel Di María and the inevitable "No Payne, No Gain". Overwhelmed, Payne himself replied: "Those were pretty crazy 48 hours… I appreciate all the love from everyone around the world. Thank you very much", and he even dared to say "Thank you, Argentina", which finished winning over his new fan base.
Who is Tim Payne?
- Timothy John Payne, 32 years old, defender (right back).
- Seven seasons at Wellington Phoenix (A-League).
- Returns to a World Cup for the first time since 2010.
The key detail: he plays TODAY
New Zealand face Haiti in a warm-up friendly ahead of the 2026 World Cup, today Tuesday, June 2 at 21:00 (Argentina time), at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Kickoff times in Latin America:
- 🇦🇷 Argentina and 🇺🇾 Uruguay: 21:00
- 🇨🇱 Chile, 🇻🇪 Venezuela and 🇧🇴 Bolivia: 20:00
- 🇨🇴 Colombia, 🇵🇪 Peru and 🇪🇨 Ecuador: 19:00
- 🇲🇽 Mexico: 18:00
Where to watch? In Argentina and almost all of Latin America (except Brazil) it is shown on Disney+ (Premium Plan); in the rest of the countries it is also available on Prime Video (except in Argentina).
The big question: will he start? With millions of new Argentine fans hanging on every ball he touches, the spotlight on the world’s most viral fullback is going to be total.
After that comes the friendly against England (June 7, Tampa) and then, at the World Cup, Group G: Iran (15/6, Los Angeles), Egypt (21/6, Vancouver) and Belgium (26/6, Vancouver).
From anonymous player to global phenomenon in a week. Today, Tim Payne steps onto the pitch. And this time, everyone will be watching him.
