The viral phenomenon arrives in South America: Tim Payne will be the new player for Olimpia after the World Cup

Tim Payne, one of the most unexpected names to emerge from the start of the 2026 World Cup, is about to become a reinforcement for a South American giant. The defender from New Zealand, who went from being an unknown to a global phenomenon on social media, will continue his career at Olimpia de Paraguay once his national team's participation in the World Cup concludes.

While the official announcement is still pending, various international media outlets, such as Sky Sports, claim that the deal is already closed. Additionally, the Paraguayan club itself fueled speculation with a social media post that included a flexed arm and the New Zealand flag, a signal that many interpreted as a hint of the signing.

The 32-year-old right-back will arrive from Wellington Phoenix and will have the opportunity to compete in the 2026 Copa Sudamericana and the 2027 Copa Libertadores with the Paraguayan team. This move represents one of the most eye-catching transactions in the market, both for the player's current footballing status and for the media attention he has garnered in recent weeks.

Until the start of the World Cup, Payne had little notoriety outside of Oceania. However, a campaign led by Argentine influencer Valentín Scarsini, aimed at bringing visibility to the least-known player in the competition, completely changed his reality. In just a few days, his Instagram account went from having less than 5,000 followers to surpassing five million, making him one of the viral sensations of the tournament.

While competing in the World Cup with New Zealand, Payne had avoided discussing his future, although he left the door open for an experience in South America. "That would be something to consider", he acknowledged in an interview with ESPN when asked about the possibility of playing in this part of the continent.

Now, once the World Cup adventure is over, the New Zealander will face a completely different challenge. In Asunción, he will be coached by Pablo "Vitamina" Sánchez and will share the squad with several Argentine players, in a team that will seek to remain a protagonist both locally and internationally.

What started as an internet curiosity has turned into a concrete sporting opportunity. And Payne, who just a few weeks ago was unknown to most football fans, is about to take the most important leap of his career.

The numbers of Tim Payne at Wellington Phoenix

Since his arrival at the New Zealand team in mid-2019, the Auckland native has played 13,087 minutes, spread over 157 matches, in which he scored 4 goals, provided 19 assists, and received 15 yellow cards and 3 red cards, one for double booking and the rest direct. In this last season, he played 868 minutes in 14 matches and contributed 5 assists.