Ryan Thomas (footballer)

Ryan Jared Thomas (born 20 December 1994) is a New Zealand professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for PSV in the Eredivisie and the New Zealand national team.

This article is about the New Zealand football player. For the American soccer player, see Ryan Thomas (soccer).

Ryan Thomas
Thomas playing for New Zealand at the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup
Personal information
Full name Ryan Jared Thomas
Date of birth (1994-12-20) 20 December 1994
Place of birth Te Puke, New Zealand
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 PSV
Number 30
Youth career
Melville United
Waikato FC
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011 Melville United
2011–2013 Waikato FC 18 (4)
2013 Western Suburbs
2013–2018 PEC Zwolle 123 (8)
2018– PSV 23 (3)
National team‡
2013 New Zealand U20 11 (2)
2014– New Zealand 19 (3)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 31 January 2021
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 2 December 2019

Thomas played for various clubs across the Waikato region of New Zealand, before signing professional terms with Eredivisie club PEC Zwolle in 2013. Since then, Thomas has spent his footballing career in the Netherlands, signing for reigning champions PSV Eindhoven in 2018. Thomas is additionally a regular for the New Zealand national team, featuring in the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup.

Club career

New Zealand

Thomas was born in Te Puke, New Zealand,[1] attended Tauranga Boys' College and played his youth football at local Waikato club Melville United in the NRFL Premier. He made his debut off the bench on 30 July 2011, alongside fellow current professional Jesse Edge, and scored in the 3–1 win against Forrest Hill Milford.[2]

Thomas was announced as part of the squad for New Zealand Football Championship side Waikato FC at the beginning of the 2011–12 season, joining other future New Zealand international Tyler Boyd.[3]

Thomas was later convinced by his previous Waikato FC manager, Declan Edge, to leave his current side to join the Olé Football Academy in Wellington, along with several other Waikato players.[4] During this time, Thomas played for the Olé Academy-affiliated club Western Suburbs. Noting Thomas' exceptional talent, Edge organised a trial for the 18-year-old at Eredivisie club PEC Zwolle.[4]

PEC Zwolle

Following a successful trial period in the Netherlands, Thomas signed for PEC Zwolle in September 2013, and made his debut for the club on 30 October 2013 against amateur side Wilhelmina '08 in the third round of the KNVB Cup, scoring the first goal in a 4–0 win.[5] He quickly became a key winger for the club; his successful debut season culminated in winning the KNVB Cup, with Thomas scoring two goals in the final in a 5–1 win over AFC Ajax.[6]

Thomas continued to impress for PEC Zwolle in the following seasons following his transition to a holding midfielder, with his rise being compared to that of Dutch legend Arjen Robben by former manager Ron Jans.[7] In a 2017 interview, Jans stated that "it would not surprise me if he ended up at Real Madrid".[8][9]

PSV

On 10 August 2018, Thomas joined reigning Eredivisie champions PSV for an undisclosed fee on a three-year contract.[10] The move was described by former New Zealand and Eredivisie footballer Ivan Vicelich as one of the biggest deals ever by a New Zealander.[11] Just days after signing, however, Thomas sustained a knee injury in training; originally thought to be only a minor sprain, it was later discovered to be a serious anterior cruciate ligament tear, meaning Thomas spent the rest of the season sidelined.[12][13] As part of his rehabilitation, Thomas spent time working with Olympic swimming champion Pieter van den Hoogenband.[14]

On 6 October 2019, after 14 months out injured, Thomas finally made his debut for PSV as an 85th minute substitute for Érick Gutiérrez in a 4−1 win over VVV Venlo.[15]

International career

Thomas made his international debut for New Zealand when he played in a 2–4 friendly loss to Japan in March 2014.[16] He scored his first international goals on 28 March 2017, netting a brace in a 2–0 win over Fiji.[17]

International goals
Scores and results list New Zealand's goal tally first.[18]
NoDateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.28 March 2017Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand Fiji1–02–02018 FIFA World Cup qualification
2.2–0
3.1 September 2017North Harbour Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand Solomon Islands4–16–1

Honours

Club

Waikato FC

PEC Zwolle

International

Individual

References
  1. "SunLive - Te Puke player in All Whites - The Bay's News First". www.sunlive.co.nz. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  2. Goile, Aaron (1 August 2011). "Teenager stars for Melville in Northern League". Waikato Times. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  3. Anderson, Ian (22 October 2011). "Waikato FC hope for deliverance". Waikato Times. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  4. Worthington, Sam (6 September 2013). "Kiwi teen Thomas signs with top Dutch club". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  5. "PEC Zwolle vs. Wilhelmina '08 - Football Match Report - October 30, 2013 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  6. "PEC Zwolle win KNVB Cup after hammering Ajax". Football Oranje. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  7. "Ryan Thomas compared to Arjen Robben". Olé Football Academy. 24 January 2016. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  8. "Wat zegt Ron Jans hier nou?! "Zou me niks verbazen als Ryan Thomas naar Real Madrid gaat"". Voetbalflitsen.nl - het leukste en opvallendste voetbalnieuws!. 20 November 2017. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  9. "All White Ryan Thomas tipped to attract interest from Europe's biggest clubs". NZ Herald. 22 November 2017.
  10. "Ryan Thomas signs from PEC Zwolle". PSV. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  11. Rollo, Phillip (15 August 2018). "Ryan Thomas completes landmark transfer to PSV Eindhoven". Waikato Times.
  12. "Ryan Thomas sustains severe knee injury". PSV. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
  13. "Cruel injury blow for All White Ryan Thomas days after joining PSV Eindhoven". Stuff.co.nz. 23 August 2018.
  14. https://www.voetbalprimeur.nl/nieuws/857391/-pechvogel-thomas-kan-na-de-winterstop-gaan-denken-aan-debuut-voor-psv-.html
  15. https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/world-game/115563240/all-whites-midfielder-ryan-thomas-makes-debut-for-psv-eindhoven-after-year-out-with-knee-injury
  16. "Japan vs New Zealand". Soccerway. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  17. Burgess, Michael (28 March 2017). "Football: All Whites progress in World Cup qualifying". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  18. "Ryan Thomas". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmerman.
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