[80847] The star who returned to the headlines: 'Miss Croatia' mocks footballer labeled the World Cup joke

The World Cup moves to the web: 'Miss Croatia' responds to the mockery trend against Tim Payne

A new viral storm surrounding the 2026 World Cup is gaining momentum on social media, with New Zealand national team defender Tim Payne at its center. According to reports in the channels Technology - The Leaker and 📱 Technology Updates 💻, Payne has become the focus of mockery online in recent days due to being "the footballer with the fewest followers among all national team squads" in the upcoming tournament.

Entering the arena is model Ivana Knoll, known as "Miss Croatia" from the previous World Cup. According to a report in 📱 Technology Updates 💻, Knoll's response to a post about Payne only added fuel to the fire, and she herself became part of the joke that is getting increasingly complicated.

Both channels note that the general public is in a "frenzy" over this response, which indicates the intensity of the discourse on social media surrounding well-known figures from the sports-entertainment world. According to Technology - The Leaker, this is a broad phenomenon where users seek out the minor dramas between players and social media celebrities during the tournament days.