One of the great sensations that the 2026 World Cup has left is the appearance of New Zealand defender Tim Paynewho went from being unknown to having millions of followers pending their participation in the World Cup.
Thanks to a challenge on social networks, the New Zealand defender became a viral figureas it increased rapidly his number of followers on Instagram, going from thousands to 5.8 million in a short time.
Despite his popularity on social media, Payne has attracted the attention of the sporting world not only for his participation in New Zealand’s draw against Iran on June 15, but because the player could define his future in club football.
According to media such as Infobaewho cited information from the journalist specialized in the transfer market, César Luis Merlo, Tim Payne could become a new player for the Paraguayan club Olimpia.
According to Merlo, the agreement between Payne and the club is completely closed. Furthermore, he indicated that The transfer of the New Zealand player would be around US$350 thousand.
Payne is expected to join the Paraguayan club when New Zealand finishes its participation in the 2026 World Cup. There is also the possibility of the club announcing the signing of the defender “in the next few hours.”
The club’s social networks have left small previews of Tim Payne’s announcement. One of them was a publication in X in which Olympia broadcast only the New Zealand flag.
Payne’s arrival at Olimpia in Paraguay is curious not only because of the viral phenomenon that the defender became, but also for the way in which this popularity has opened opportunities for him to perform on other teams.
In the case of Olimpia, Payne will join a club recognized for being the only one in Paraguay that has won the Copa Libertadores three timesin addition to having won an Intercontinental Cup.
Also read: Who is Tim Payne? The least known footballer from the World Cup who went viral