Tim Payne was far from the best player at the 2026 World Cup, and New Zealand bowed out after a winless group stage, but his surging popularity found him a new club, as he signed with Paraguayan side Club Olimpia and dazzled in his debut on Sunday.
The 32-year-old now boasts a whopping 5.4 million Instagram followers after an Argentine soccer influencer, Valen Scarsini, made a video ahead of the World Cup, suggesting Payne might be the least-known player at the tournament.
Payne came off the bench in the 69th minute in Sunday’s clash with Rubio Ñú, playing his first competitive minutes since New Zealand’s group stage loss to Belgium. With his team up 3–0 already, it didn’t take long for Payne to help extend the lead.
The defender’s highlight-reel moment came in the 81st minute, when he collected the ball in his own half and made an exchange with teammate Franco Alfonso before smashing a one-touch finish into the top corner of the net.
⚽️¡QUÉ GOLAZO! Tim Payne debutó con la camiseta franjeada y en pocos minutos marcó este golazo.
— Tigo Sports (@TigoSportsPY) August 2, 2026
📺Tigo Sports
▶️Viví el #ClausuraAPF2026 en https://t.co/pGNhXoLRh7 pic.twitter.com/zmObqWdI5i
The strike marked just the 13th goal in Payne’s 289-game professional career and was his first since Oct. 26, 2024, when he hit the back of the net for the A-League’s Wellington Phoenix in a 2–0 win over the Perth Glory.
With the victory, Olimpia jumped up to seventh in the Paraguayan Clausura.
The World Journeyman
CONMEBOL represents the fourth confederation that Payne has played in during his career, having spent time in the OFC while playing in New Zealand; Concacaf while playing for the Portland Timbers’ reserve squad; and UEFA during a brief stint with the Blackburn Rovers.
While he is far from a superstar, Payne has traveled to nearly every corner of the soccer world throughout his career, with Saturday’s debut marking the eighth team he has played for.
As he looks to maintain success with Olimpia, Payne will also look ahead to New Zealand’s next fixtures, which will come in November as the squad heads to India for a two-game friendly series.
