Photography: Nicola Edmonds.
Since returning to Wellington from the Fifa World Cup, the whirlwind has continued for All Whites star Tim Payne and his partner Michelle Peters, who are in the middle of packing for a move to Paraguay as they sit down with Woman’s Day.
Reflecting on the world’s biggest football tournament, where he was labelled “least-known player” and turned into a social media sensation by an Argentine influencer, Tim, 32, recalls that he was at training camp with the Kiwi team in Miami when his phone started “blowing up with notifications”.
Michelle, 32, remembers, “We were on a call and he said to me, ‘It’s so random – I just got 300 followers out of the blue and they just keep coming.’ Then he went silent for a bit and then he’s like, ‘Wait, what’s this video?’”
The person behind his fame
Luckily, while she was born in Lower Hutt, Michelle’s mum is Costa Rican and she grew up there, so she’s fluent in Spanish and was able to translate the video to work out that the influencer had encouraged football fans around the world to get behind Tim.
Within days, the athlete’s Instagram account went from having 5000 followers to millions of fans, largely from Latin America.
Tim reflects, “It was a little wild, but it probably happened at the right age for me – and it was good timing as I was at the World Cup and very much focused on football.”
Worldwide support
Watching the social media frenzy unfold back in Wellington, Michelle smiles, “I enjoyed reading all of the comments because, being from Costa Rica, I understand that kind of banter, the sense of humour and also the warmth. It was really refreshing seeing people randomly support Tim.”
Tim adds, “The Latin American community has been so positive, uplifting and really special.”
Referring to the fan-created World Cup anthem No Payne, No Gain that did the rounds online, Michelle laughs, “The song that they made of Tim was a crack-up!”
Love at first sight
After many years in Costa Rica, professional photographer and videographer Michelle returned to Aotearoa in her late twenties, and it was then she met Tim, who was playing for the Wellington Phoenix.
“We knew pretty soon, probably after the first date, that there was something special between us,” smiles Tim.
“Well, I definitely did!”
However, Michelle had plans to move to Australia.
She reveals, “I’d booked a trip to Melbourne in a month’s time and I didn’t really think much of going out with Tim at the start. But getting to know him in that first month made me not want to leave. In the end, Tim was going away with the All Whites, so I did go to Melbourne, but I ended up coming back two months later to be with him.”
Supporting each other
Asked what he loves about Michelle, Tim says, “She’s got a massive heart and she’s willing to do anything for those she loves. One time, I’d been away for a long time and when I walked in the house, she had my favourite snacks and my favourite beers out, and she’d left little notes around the house. Michelle always puts the effort in to make me feel special when I come back, even though I know how hard it is for her when I’m away.”
For Michelle, Tim is her rock.
She shares, “When anything good or bad happens, the first person that I think of is Tim – either to go to him or to talk to him. I feel very safe with him and he’s a very warm guy.”
Their biggest joy
One year ago, their happiness overflowed when they welcomed their gorgeous baby boy Brooklyn into their family. However, they admit having a little life on board makes Tim’s absences even more difficult.
Michelle confesses, “It’s not easy being a solo parent while he’s away. It does get heavy, but Tim is very understanding and he’s a very good partner in the sense that I feel his support even when he’s not there.”
Good communication is key to both of them, she adds.
“He knows exactly what to say and reassures me that everything is going to be OK.”
A proud dad moment on the world stage
Michelle and Brooklyn joined Tim in Vancouver for the All Whites’ games against Egypt and Belgium at the World Cup. Tim had a career-defining moment in the Egypt match when he assisted Finn Surman in scoring the first goal, but the family man’s highlight was hugging his son afterwards.
Tim says, “It’s so beautiful that no matter what’s going on in the day, even if I’ve lost a football game, Brooklyn just has no idea what’s happened and he’s just always so happy to see me. It’s a beautiful reset and keeps me grounded.”
For Michelle, watching her partner play in two World Cup matches with her son in her arms was something she’ll cherish forever.
“With football, there’s obviously lots of sacrifices and hiccups, but seeing behind the scenes and understanding all of the work that Tim put in to be where he is fills my heart up,” she admits.
“Watching him do an assist was the cherry on the top.”
A memorable World Cup
What made the World Cup even more memorable for Tim was having his mum, dad and brother at the matches.
He explains, “My mum sacrificed a lot, giving up her evenings so she could pick me up from school and take me to training five times a week. To have her there watching me play was very special.”
By the time you read this article, Tim, Michelle and Brooklyn will have winged their way to Paraguay, where Tim has an 18-month contract with the country’s 48-time champion football team Club Olimpia, based in the capital city of Asunción.
It’s a full-circle opportunity for Michelle, raising her son in a Latin American country.
She enthuses, “I’m actually really excited. It’s going to be amazing for Brooklyn to live in a different culture, with a different climate and to learn the language!”
Future plans in Paraguay
Michelle also plans to expand her wedding videography company Serenity Films into Paraguay, where they’ve already been welcomed by some of Tim’s social media fans.
He grins, “There have been lots of people from Paraguay reaching out. They seem like really genuine people who are just keen to show us the sights of Asunción or invite us to a restaurant they own. “We understand that it’s not going to be easy going at times – there are challenges with travelling with a child in a new place – but doing it all together is a beautiful thing.”
Michelle agrees, “It doesn’t really matter where we are, as long as we’re together and the family base is strong.”
