Te Puke's Ryan Thomas in action for PEC Zwolle against FC Twente last month. Photo / Getty Images
Te Puke's Ryan Thomas in action for PEC Zwolle against FC Twente last month. Photo / Getty Images
Former Tauranga Boys' College classmates Ryan Thomas and Tyler Boyd have been making headlines in Europe leading up to the international window this week.
The two attacking wingers grew up through the youth age groups and into senior football together before making the ultimate goal of a young Kiwi footballerand wearing the All Whites shirt.
Playing together again in the All Whites is a goal they would both dearly love to realise.
Thomas, 22, who hails from Te Puke, is in camp with the All Whites in Auckland ahead of the home-and-away World Cup qualifiers against the Solomon Islands tonight at QBE Stadium in Auckland and next Tuesday at Lawson Tama Stadium in Honiara.
He has taken his game to a new level in the last 18 months and is thriving at international level where his increased confidence has seen him become a regular started in Anthony Hudson's All Whites.
Thomas continues to fly the Kiwi flag proudly in Europe and made the most of his last match before the international break for PEC Zwolle in the Dutch Eredivisie.
After narrowly avoiding being dragged into the relegation playoffs last season, Zwolle have begun the new campaign in far more dominant fashion. A 2-0 win over FC Twente makes seven points from three matches and puts them third on the table.
Thomas has played every minute in the league so far and has been one of Zwolle's best performers, starring again in a midfield three against Twente and standing out with the quality of his passing. He also had a strong appeal for a penalty early on but play was waved on.
Tauranga's Tyler Boyd in action for his club CD Tondela in Portugal. Photo / Getty Images
Meanwhile, Boyd, 22, has fallen off the international radar in the last three years but the six-cap All White is back in form and made history last week when he became the first Kiwi to ever score in Portugal's Primeira Liga.
Boyd had to work hard to break into the line-up for CD Tondela and was again among the substitutes as they travelled to Moreirense. The visitors were chasing their first win of the season and were well on track at 2-0 up when Boyd went on in the 80th minute.
The former Wellington Phoenix player made sure of the points, making a run to the near post to turn a low cross into the top corner.
If he can keep finding the net and getting game time then he and Thomas may back in white together in the near future.
