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Tim Payne was hardly a standout performer at the 2026 World Cup, and New Zealand was eliminated after failing to win a single group stage match, yet his skyrocketing fame helped him land a new club. He signed with Paraguayan outfit Club Olimpia and impressed on his debut this Sunday.
The 32-year-old now commands a staggering 5.4 million Instagram followers after Argentine soccer influencer Valen Scarsini posted a video before the World Cup, pointing out that Payne might be the most obscure player at the tournament.
Payne entered the match in the 69th minute during Sunday's fixture against Rubio Ñú, playing his first competitive action since New Zealand's group stage defeat to Belgium. With his side already leading 3–0, it didn't take long for Payne to add to the tally.
The defender's standout moment arrived in the 81st minute, when he picked up the ball in his own half, linked up with teammate Franco Alfonso, and unleashed a one-touch finish that flew into the top corner of the goal.
⚽️¡QUÉ GOLAZO! Tim Payne debutó con la camiseta franjeada y en pocos minutos marcó este golazo.
📺Tigo Sports
▶️Viví el #ClausuraAPF2026 en https://t.co/pGNhXoLRh7 pic.twitter.com/zmObqWdI5i
The goal was just the 13th of Payne's 289-match professional career and his first since Oct. 26, 2024, when he scored for the A-League's Wellington Phoenix in a 2–0 victory over the Perth Glory.
Thanks to the win, Olimpia climbed to seventh place in the Paraguayan Clausura.
The World Journeyman
CONMEBOL marks the fourth confederation Payne has featured in throughout his career, having previously played in the OFC with clubs in New Zealand, Concacaf with the Portland Timbers' reserve side, and UEFA during a short spell at Blackburn Rovers.
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While he is no household name, Payne has ventured to nearly every corner of the soccer globe over the course of his career, with Sunday's debut representing the eighth club he has represented.
As he aims to build on his promising start at Olimpia, Payne will also have New Zealand's upcoming fixtures on his radar, with the squad set to travel to India in November for a two-match friendly series.
