5,000 followers. That was the digital world of Tim Payne, a 32-year-old right back from New Zealand, just a few weeks ago. Today he has nearly 6 million. What happened in between? An Argentine influencer named Valentín Scarsini, known as ‘El Scarso,’ urged his followers to massively follow the footballer with the fewest fans at the 2026 World Cup — and Payne won the fame lottery in a way no sports agent could have planned. 🚀
The impact did not stay on Instagram. Sky Sports reported it first, and Paraguayan journalist Arturo Máximo Rubin confirmed it on June 16: Payne signed a deal with Olimpia of Paraguay, three-time Copa Libertadores champion, to join after the World Cup. The club’s official account has already posted a flexed biceps emoji and the New Zealand flag as a hint. His market value is only $350,000, but his new price in visibility has no ceiling. 💪🏽🇳🇿
While all this was happening, Payne started against Iran in the Group G opener at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles — a 2-2 draw — and in the mixed zone he dropped two words in Spanish: “Aguante Argentina.” Football never stops surprising. 🌎🔥