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FIFA World Cup: How a Viral Campaign Made New Zealand’s Tim Payne an Unexpected Star

Summary by Stuff
Argentine creator Valen Scarsini rallies more than 1 million followers to support the Wellington Phoenix defender for being the "least known" player at the tournament.

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What began as a simple joke on social media has ended up turning a virtually unknown footballer into a real sensation. Tim Payne, a New Zealand defender and one of the least media player in the upcoming 2026 World Cup, has gone from having just 4,715 followers on Instagram to over 750,000 in just one day thanks to a reel published by Argentine influencer Valen Scarsini, known on networks as elscarso. All this has surprised even the footballer hi…

The player will seek with his teammates the first win for his selection in a World Cup, in which New Zealand has participated only twice

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Bias Distribution

  • 34% of the sources lean Left, 33% of the sources are Center, 33% of the sources lean Right
34% Left

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Stuff broke the news in New Zealand on Thursday, May 28, 2026.
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