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Tim Payne gains more followers than New Zealand's population
🇨🇱 Chile /Sports

Tim Payne gains more followers than New Zealand's population

From Cooperativa · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • New Zealand defender Tim Payne has surpassed his country's population with 5.4 million Instagram followers.
  • An Argentine influencer initiated a campaign to make Payne, a lesser-known player, an internet star.
  • Payne's follower count exploded from 4,700 to millions in under two weeks, attracting global attention ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

New Zealand defender Tim Payne has achieved a remarkable social media milestone, amassing 5.4 million Instagram followers and surpassing the total population of his home country, estimated at 5.3 million people. This surge in popularity comes just days before the start of the 2026 World Cup.

The phenomenon originated from an initiative by Argentine influencer Valen Scarsini, known as "el scarso." Scarsini launched a campaign to transform Payne, statistically one of the lesser-known players in the tournament, into an internet sensation.

Payne began the challenge in late May with a modest 4,700 followers. In less than two weeks, his audience grew exponentially. The "legend of Tim Payne" campaign has captured the attention of fans across various continents, who have joined in to support the defender.

New Zealand is set to compete in Group G of the World Cup alongside Belgium, Iran, and Egypt. Payne and the Oceania squad are scheduled to make their debut on June 15 against Iran in Los Angeles.

DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Cooperativa in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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