Yahoo Sports reports: A social media stunt that started with fewer than 5,000 Instagram followers has rewritten the final chapter of Tim Payne’s career. The New Zealand defender landed at the 2026 World Cup billed as the tournament’s least famous name, a label dreamed up online rather than earned on the pitch.
sports | sports | Yahoo Sports | June 16, 2026 10:21 AM
The World Cup’s most unlikely star Tim Payne seals post-tournament transfer
A social media stunt that started with fewer than 5,000 Instagram followers has rewritten the final chapter of Tim Payne’s career. The New Zealand defender landed at the 2026 World Cup billed as the tournament’s least famous name, a label dreamed up online rather than earned on the pitch.
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