What’s it like being Tim Payne? All White’s first interview since social media boom shows where his focus is
Saturday, 6 June 2026
Tim Payne spoke to the travelling New Zealand media in Tampa in his first proper interview since becoming an online phenomenon.
Argentine content creator/influencer El Scarso – Valen Scarsini – called on fans to get behind the All White as the “least-known” player heading to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Payne has gained five million new Instagram followers and NZ Football has received around 400 interview requests, all of which have been turned down – until now.
The veteran defender offered little insight into what his life has been like in recent days, repeatedly saying his focus was on his football and this weekend’s high-profile warm-up match against England.
What has it been like being Tim Payne, the person, over the past 10 days, as Tim Payne, the meme, has gone around the world and become an online phenomenon?
Argentine content creator/influencer El Scarso – Valen Scarsini – almost certainly had no idea what he was starting when he called on people to get behind the All Whites fullback, who he identified as the “least-known” player heading to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Five million new Instagram followers, around 400 unrequited interview requests, countless attempts at piggybacking on the madness, and one brief meeting between Payne and Scarsini at the All Whites’ Boca Raton hotel later, people are eager to know how it has all been received by the Wellington Phoenix defender.
Payne was finally made available to the travelling New Zealand media for an interview in Tampa on Friday, at the end of training on the eve of the All Whites’ second warm-up match against England at Raymond James Stadium on Saturday afternoon (kickoff 8am Sunday NZ time).
It has been a chastening few days for the team, after they lost 4-0 to Haiti – ranked just two places ahead of them by FIFA heading into the match – in their first warm-up outing at Inter Miami Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday night (Wednesday NZ time).
While no-one is expecting the world’s 85th-ranked side to beat or even draw with world No 4 England, one of a handful of genuine title contenders, the All Whites need to bounce back with a credible performance to restore some hope, nine days out from their World Cup opener against Iran in Los Angeles.
Had Payne addressed his newfound fame before the Haiti defeat, perhaps he might have had more to say, unencumbered by the weight of that loss and a desire to appear focused on the task at hand.
Or perhaps even then he would still have been trying to process it all and unable to offer much, even without a disastrous result as an unhelpful backdrop.
That he was speaking pitchside after training in the Florida heat, rushed for time before heading to the team bus, wasn’t exactly conducive to an insightful back and forth.
In the wake of the All Whites’ worst loss in nine years – a “harsh lesson,” as coach Darren Bazeley put it; “a slap in the face,” per Ryan Thomas – Payne was firmly on message.
He finished his first answer – this has all been “surreal” – by saying “my focus is still on football and training every single day”.
He finished his second saying “I'm here to go out and perform for our country”.
The most intriguing comment from a four-question in-house interview Payne did with NZ Football last Friday was that he had needed his Costa Rican partner, Michelle Peters – a Spanish speaker – to explain what was happening when the notifications first started coming in, while he was sat with Phoenix team-mate Alex Rufer in Miami.
So how did it feel when she revealed his phone was blowing up because he had been pegged as the World Cup’s “least-known” player?
“I think at the end of the day the whole idea of it is a positive aspect. I think Valen was trying to grow New Zealand football, grow myself, grow the game, and so I just look at it as a massive positive on the whole.”
Many entities have tried to make hay out of the Payne story and for all that he has been trying – seemingly with success – to stay grounded and not get carried away, surely he’s seen some of their posts over the past 10 days and has a few favourites?
“I know there's lots [out] there. I know lots is going on. But my full focus is training this morning.
“I've got England, No 4 in the world, tomorrow, to go and perform against, so that's where my head's at, that's what I'm worried about, and that's my next course of action.”
Has he thought about how he might capitalise on having such a large social media following?
“I'm just focusing on playing England tomorrow, focusing on training to my best ability, and helping all these other boys out here go on the world stage and perform for our country.”
Which of his team-mates has given him the most stick?
(Presumably not Joe Bell, the lone member of the 26-man All Whites squad without an Instagram account).
“There's been a few, so I wouldn't be about to single anyone out, but it's created a good bit of banter.”
Payne’s Instagram followers could have fit into Raymond James Stadium – capacity around 70,000 – 14 times over a fortnight ago. Now he’d need 72 venues of that size to keep them all happy.
As the All Whites’ first-choice right back, he is set to have to deal with England’s left wingers Anthony Gordon and Marcus Rashford on Saturday.
Rashford has him beat with 22 million followers, but Gordon only has 2.2 million, less than half as many, though it’s unlikely Payne will engage in any Instagram-related banter himself as he tries to keep up with them.
His focus remains squarely on his football.
A forensic examination of how his sudden fame has impacted him will have to wait.
All Whites – 2026 FIFA World Cup
Squad
GK: Max Crocombe, Alex Paulsen, Michael Woud; DF: Callan Elliot, Tim Payne; Tyler Bindon, Michael Boxall, Nando Pijnaker, Tommy Smith, Finn Surman; Liberato Cacace, Francis de Vries; MF: Lachlan Bayliss, Joe Bell, Matt Garbett, Eli Just, Ben Old, Alex Rufer, Sarpreet Singh, Marko Stamenić, Ryan Thomas; FW: Kosta Barbarouses, Callum McCowatt, Jesse Randall, Ben Waine, Chris Wood
Fixtures/results (NZ time)
Friendlies
June 7, 8am: v England; Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
World Cup group G
June 16, 1pm: v Iran; SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, California
June 22, 1pm: v Egypt; BC Place, Vancouver
June 27, 3pm: v Belgium, BC Place