Tim Payne Meets Influencer Who Made Him a Viral Star

New Zealand rugby player Tim Payne finally met the Argentinian influencer Valentín Scarsini, widely known as El Scarso, who catapulted the athlete to viral fame. Scarsini's social media challenge transformed Payne's online presence, boosting his Instagram followers from fewer than 5,000 to nearly 5 million within a week. The much-anticipated encounter took place in the United States, generating considerable buzz online and shared widely by the New Zealand national team and Payne himself. "The last week has been crazy, but thanks to El Scarso for everything he has done for me, my family, and New Zealand football. It was a pleasure to meet you in person today, friend," Payne wrote on Instagram. The meeting was characterized by jokes and laughter, with both men playfully acknowledging their language differences. "My English is bad," El Scarso admitted, to which Payne responded with a laugh, "My Spanish is bad, but I can read."

“

The last week has been crazy, but thanks to El Scarso for everything he has done for me, my family, and New Zealand football. It was a pleasure to meet you in person today, friend.