As the World Cup approaches, the competition has shifted from the football field to Instagram, with Australian players and influencers vying for attention.
Kai Trewin, a defender for the Socceroos, has recently joined the ranks of social media stars, thanks to a viral campaign aimed at elevating lesser-known World Cup players’ profiles before the event kicks off.
This initiative has propelled the 25-year-old to gain an astounding 100,000 new followers almost instantly, as fans rally to make him a standout figure.
Influencer Challenges Ignite Fame
Last week, Valen Scarsini, a South American influencer known as “El Scarso,” launched a challenge to boost the visibility of the least-followed World Cup participant, prompting his followers to support New Zealand’s Tim Payne. This effort saw Payne’s follower count explode from a mere 5,000 to over 4.6 million as of this writing.
Trewin, who initially had just 3,000 followers, was brought to light by another content creator, RubikayTV, who contended that Trewin, not Payne, deserved the title of the least-known player. RubikayTV encouraged his audience to back the Australian player.
“Tim Payne is not the least-known player at the World Cup; that honour belongs to Kai Trewin, Australia’s wingback,” RubikayTV stated. “If Tim Payne is Messi, why not make Trewin the Cristiano Ronaldo of the World Cup?”
The 25-year-old was selected in Tony Popovic’s final 26-man World Cup roster after making his debut for the Socceroos in 2025. Trewin began his career with Brisbane Roar, quickly becoming a key player before transferring to Melbourne City in 2024, where he made 47 appearances for the two-time A-League champions.
Earlier this year, Trewin transitioned from Melbourne City to New York City FC, another club under the City Football Group, where he has already played 18 matches against top talents like Lionel Messi, Rodrigo De Paul, and Thomas Müller.
Payne’s Meteoric Rise
Tim Payne, currently with Wellington Phoenix in the A-League, has surpassed the All Blacks’ Instagram following to become the second most followed athlete from New Zealand, trailing only UFC star Israel Adesanya. With nearly 5.3 million followers, he is on the verge of having more fans than the entire population of New Zealand.
Fans have even gone so far as to compose a song celebrating Payne’s newfound fame.
While Trewin has yet to acknowledge his rapid rise in followers, Payne expressed his gratitude on Instagram on June 29, thanking Scarsini and his new supporters. He remarked, “It’s been a pretty crazy 48 hours to say the least. I just wanted to also express that I’m very grateful to be representing my country at this World Cup, and I appreciate all the love from around the world. Muchas gracias.”
Despite his newfound fame, Payne has maintained a low profile, sharing only three posts since his surge in popularity, which include a thank-you video and a few training images with the All Whites.
Upcoming Matches
New Zealand faced a disappointing 4-0 loss to Haiti in a recent warm-up match, with Payne exiting at halftime. Fans can look forward to watching him in the World Cup as the All Whites take on Iran on June 16. Meanwhile, Trewin’s Socceroos are set to begin their campaign against Turkey two days earlier, on June 14.
