Overview
- An Argentine creator, Valen Scarsini (known as elscarso), urged his followers to like and follow Tim Payne in a video that circulated online.
- The push produced a rapid jump in Payne’s Instagram followers from roughly 4,700 to about 660,000 within a couple of days, according to multiple reports.
- Payne messaged the influencer to thank him, writing that he had been wondering why his socials were 'blowing up' and saying 'Gracias, hermano.'
- Payne is a 32-year-old Wellington Phoenix defender with around 50 caps for New Zealand and is part of Darren Bazeley’s World Cup squad that opens Group G play against Iran in Los Angeles on June 15.
- The episode underscores how influencer-driven attention can bring sudden fame, boost commercial and fan interest in lesser-known players, and increase media scrutiny of their past records, including Payne’s 2020 quarantine-related fine.