Ryan Jared Thomas

Ryan Jared Thomas began his youth career in New Zealand with Mount Maunganui Junior FC, Tauranga City AFC, Melville United and Waikato FC, and made his senior professional debut for Melville United in July 2011. He joined Western Suburbs in 2013 through the Olé Football Academy, scoring seven goals in 11 appearances.

In September 2013 Thomas signed for PEC Zwolle in the Netherlands after a successful trial. He quickly became a key player there: in his first season he scored a double in the 5-1 win over Ajax in the KNVB Cup final, and the following August he started as a winger in the 1-0 win over Ajax that brought the Johan Cruijff Shield, before being substituted in the 62nd minute. In August 2015 he was named Oceania Footballer of the Year.

In August 2018 Thomas joined PSV Eindhoven on a three-year contract, but his spell there was disrupted by a serious knee injury, an ACL tear, sustained shortly after he arrived. He was released by PSV in June 2022 and returned to PEC Zwolle that October on a free transfer.

Thomas has represented New Zealand at Under-20 level, winning the 2013 OFC U-20 Championship in Fiji, where he scored against the hosts, and playing at the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey. He made his senior debut for New Zealand in 2014 and was part of the squad for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia. He remains a regular in the national side and has been included in the official Panini sticker collection for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.