Injury-cursed All White Ryan Thomas gets FIFA World Cup reward with role set to grow

Thursday, 18 June 2026

Ryan Thomas pent almost six years away from the All Whites between 2019 and 2025 while dealing with a series of knee injuries.

He has to be patient in the lead-up to the FIFA World Cup recovering from a hamstring injury.

So when he came off the bench in the 68th minute of the All Whites’ 2-2 draw with Iran in Los Angeles, it was a moment packed with meaning.

All Whites midfielder Ryan Thomas has done it tough.

All Whites midfielder Ryan Thomas battles for the ball with Iranian fullback Ramin Rezaeian.

Not just in the last three weeks, where his recovery from a hamstring injury kept him from training with his team-mates as they began their FIFA World Cup preparations in Florida and from playing in their two warm-up matches.

But also over the past six years, most of which he spent not knowing if he would ever play international football again – a sentiment he shared with New Zealand coach Darren Bazeley when he would call to check in.

Thomas missed 38 All Whites matches between November 2019 and September 2025 and during that period he also missed more matches for his Dutch clubs PSV and PEC Zwolle than he played in, as he dealt with a series of knee injuries.

So when Bazeley called his number during the 2-2 draw with Iran at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Monday night (Tuesday NZ time) and he came off the bench to play the last 22 minutes, it was a moment packed with plenty of meaning.

“It felt like a little bit of a reward for the years of the hard work that I put in to make sure I got to this moment,” Thomas said after making his World Cup debut. “I'm just very happy I was able to get on the pitch and help the boys.”

Speaking earlier in the All Whites’ time in the United States, after his busiest club season in the Netherlands for eight years, Thomas said: “I've got to kind of pinch myself a little bit sometimes.

“If you’d asked me 18 months ago where I'd be, I definitely wouldn't have said I'd be here with the group.

“I'm buzzing to be here. I'm happy that I can help the group any way possible.”

Had he not come out of the Dutch Eredivisie season with a hamstring issue, Thomas would likely have started against Iran and his role is expected to grow when the All Whites face Egypt in their second group G match in Vancouver on Sunday evening (kickoff 1pm Monday NZ time).

Against Iran, came on to play as the No 10 ahead of Joe Bell and Marko Stamenić and behind captain Chris Wood, with Sarpreet Singh, who started there, moving to the right – a combination you will likely see more of going forward.

The sixth player in the attacking half of the pitch then was two-goal hero Eli Just, a player who looked up to Thomas – six years older – when he was a teenager training under former All White Declan Edge – a mutual mentor – at the Ole Football Academy in Porirua.

“I'm very proud of him,” Thomas said of Just. “Obviously I've known him a long time now, so I'm very proud of not only today, but also the season he's had [starring for Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership].

“He's carrying on his club form for the national team and that's obviously great for us, and it's great for New Zealand, and hopefully he can carry that on.”

Thomas’ most notable action on the pitch was a headed clearance with Iran trying to score a winner following a corner deep into second-half stoppage time.

Ryan Thomas said there were a lot of good things as the All Whites drew 2-2 with Iran, but also a feeling they had missed an opportunity to get their first World Cup win.

Having spent plenty of time on the sidelines, he was full of sympathy for Matt Garbett, another Ole product, who was ruled out of the World Cup with a hamstring injury in the lead-up to the Iran match.

“I've had my fair share of injuries,” Thomas said. “He was going to start this game, and then to get an injury like that two days out is tough on anyone, it doesn't matter who you are.

“It's tough because you don't really know what to say. He's taken it really well, to be fair, and he's got everyone supporting him, so whatever he needs, we're here for him.”

The All Whites had a recovery day on Tuesday local time in San Diego and were set to have a day off on Wednesday before resuming training ahead of their match with Egypt in Canada.

The African nation began their campaign by drawing 1-1 with Belgium in Seattle on Monday. Like the All Whites, they are still searching for their first World Cup win.

Belgium and Iran meet in Los Angeles earlier on Sunday, so New Zealand will know the ramifications of all three possible results on the group standings come kickoff.