New Zealand Captain Sees Positive Impact of Tim Payne's Rising Fame

New Zealand's captain Chris Wood views the buzz surrounding teammate Tim Payne, who has recently gained significant attention on social media, as beneficial for the national team. "I think it's great. I think it will get other nations excited about our team. That's only good for us," said Wood in anticipation of their opening match against Iran on Tuesday.

Payne's newfound popularity stems from a campaign initiated by Argentinian influencer Valen Scarsini, who set out to identify the least recognized footballer heading to the World Cup. At the time, Payne had fewer than 5,000 Instagram followers, and his posts were only receiving around 200 likes. However, the situation took a turn when Scarsini encouraged his followers to support Payne, leading to a staggering increase in his followers to over 5.7 million in just a few weeks.

Despite the significant media attention, New Zealand's coach Darren Bazeley maintains a more reserved perspective. "I'm not really into social media. Publicity is publicity. Our job is to keep going and perform," he remarked, indicating that he does not believe the excitement is impacting the team’s focus.

This year marks New Zealand's third appearance at the World Cup, but the team is still in search of their first victory. In Group G, they will also compete against Egypt and Belgium, aiming to make a strong impression.