Overview
- An Argentine soccer influencer, Valen Scarsini (El Scarso), identified Payne as the World Cup’s “least-known” player and urged followers to boost him, triggering a flood of follows over the last few days.
- Payne’s Instagram climbed from roughly 4,700 followers to about four to 4.6 million in a matter of days, a spike reported across multiple outlets.
- Payne posted a Spanish-language thank-you to the influencer and New Zealand coach Darren Bazeley said Payne is coping with the sudden attention and staying focused on his tournament role.
- Scarsini said he plans to travel to Fort Lauderdale to watch New Zealand’s warm-up friendly against Haiti and meet Payne after the match, and copycat pushes have already lifted other players’ profiles, notably Australia’s Kai Trewin.
- The surge has made Payne more followed than major New Zealand sports figures, highlighting how quick platform-driven campaigns can create fan culture, attract sponsors and shift media focus just before the World Cup.