With less than two weeks to go before the World Cup kicks off in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, football’s biggest celebration already has its first major viral star. It is Tim Payne, an experienced midfielder for the New Zealand national team who went from being the least-known footballer in the tournament to becoming a true mass phenomenon.
The origin of the viral campaign
The craze began when Argentine influencer “Elscarso” set out to identify the player with the fewest Instagram followers in the entire World Cup. Payne, who plays for Wellington Phoenix in his home country and has a modest career that includes spells with the reserve sides of Blackburn Rovers and Portland Timbers, topped that list with fewer than five thousand followers.
The initiative went viral so aggressively that, in a matter of days, the New Zealander surpassed 1.7 million followers. Surprised by the support, the player himself uploaded a video speaking in Spanish to thank people for the campaign.
FIFA’s backing
The impact reached the highest levels. FIFA’s official account joined the frenzy by posting images of the midfielder with the caption: “Two words: Tim Payne”.
With New Zealand qualifying after a 16-year absence, the player arrives firmly established as the most famous athlete in his nation’s history, and he gained that fame in less than 24 hours.
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This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.
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