Sorba Thomas
Wales international footballer (born 1999)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Benjamin Sorba William Thomas (born 25 January 1999) is a professional footballer who plays as a winger for EFL Championship club Stoke City and the Wales national team.
|
Thomas with Nantes in 2025 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Benjamin Sorba William Thomas[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 25 January 1999 | ||
| Place of birth | Barking, England[2] | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[3] | ||
| Position | Winger | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Stoke City | ||
| Number | 7 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2012–2015 | West Ham United | ||
| 2015–2017 | Boreham Wood | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2016–2021 | Boreham Wood | 77 | (8) |
| 2018 | → Cheshunt (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| 2021–2025 | Huddersfield Town | 114 | (7) |
| 2023 | → Blackburn Rovers (loan) | 17 | (0) |
| 2024–2025 | → Nantes (loan) | 25 | (1) |
| 2025– | Stoke City | 37 | (9) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2021– | Wales | 23 | (1) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 20:00, 14 March 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 20:59, l8 November 2025 (UTC) | |||
After leaving the West Ham United Academy at 16, Thomas played for National League side Boreham Wood until he was signed by Championship side Huddersfield Town in January 2021. Thomas helped the Terriers reach the 2022 EFL Championship play-off final, losing to Nottingham Forest. He spent time out on loan at Blackburn Rovers and French Ligue 1 side Nantes before joining Stoke City in June 2025.
Club career
Early life & career
Thomas was born in Barking, London and attended St Margaret's Primary School and Eastbury Community School.[4] He played football for Barking & Dagenham District Schools team.[5] He began playing at West Ham United's Academy before being released at 16.[6]
Boreham Wood
Thomas joined the youth academy of Boreham Wood at the age of 16. He began his senior career at Boreham Wood aged 17. He was an instrumental part of the under-18 side that reached the FA Youth Cup second round in 2016–17, which included a win over English Football League side Northampton Town.[7] In January 2018, he spent a month on loan at Isthmian League North side Cheshunt.[7] Whilst in the youth team at Boreham Wood, Thomas worked at JD Sports in Oxford Circus and also as a scaffolder.[8] Thomas made his debut in the first team in September 2017 and came on as a substitute in the 2018 National League play-off final as Boreham Wood lost 2–1 to Tranmere Rovers.[9] He became a regular under Luke Garrard in 2018–19 and 2019–20. His performances attracted the attentions of English Football League clubs and in January 2021 a bid was accepted by Boreham Wood from Huddersfield Town.[9]
Huddersfield Town
On 13 January 2021, Thomas signed a contract with Huddersfield Town until the end of 2023–24 season with the club having the option of a further year's extension.[10][11] He made his professional debut for Huddersfield in a 3–2 EFL Championship loss to Wycombe Wanderers on 13 February 2021.[12] In the first Championship game of the 2021–22 season, a 1–1 draw with Derby County on 7 August 2021, Thomas got his first assist, supplying a cross from a free kick which was headed in by Naby Sarr.[13] In the following game, a 5–1 home defeat to Fulham, he overhit a backpass which ultimately resulted in Fulham's opening goal, but later provided the assist for Huddersfield's only goal from a corner kick, Matty Pearson scoring with a header.[13] On 28 August 2021, he scored his first goal (as well as providing two assists) in a 4–0 home victory against Reading: he took possession of the ball at the halfway line, dribbled into the penalty area and placed a low shot past the goalkeeper.[14][15] On 10 September 2021, Thomas was awarded EFL Championship Player of the Month for August 2021.[16] On 19 May 2022, one week before the 2022 EFL Championship play-off final, Thomas signed a new long-term contract with the club until summer 2026 with the club option to extend for a further year.[17] Huddersfield lost the final 1–0 to Nottingham Forest.[18]
In 2022–23 Huddersfield struggled at the lower end of the Championship, and on 25 January 2023, Thomas joined play-off chasing Blackburn Rovers on loan for the remainder of the 2022–23 season.[19] He played 17 times for Rovers as they missed out on a top six finish on goal difference.[20] Thomas was a regular back at Huddersfield in 2023–24, making 42 appearances, as the Terriers suffered relegation to League One.[21] On 30 July 2024, Thomas joined French Ligue 1 club Nantes on loan for the 2024–25 season.[22] Thomas played 27 times for Les Canaris, scoring once in a 2–2 draw against Saint-Étienne on 29 September 2024.[23]
Stoke City
Thomas joined Stoke City on 7 June 2025, signing a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee.[24]
International career
In March 2020, Thomas was called up to the England C team for the first time for a fixture against Wales C team however this match was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[25]
On 28 September 2021, Thomas was called up into the senior Wales squad for the first time for their 2022 World Cup qualifiers against Czech Republic and Estonia.[26] He made his international debut for Wales on 8 October 2021 as a second-half substitute in the 2–2 draw against Czech Republic,[27] and completed his first full 90 minutes three days later in the match against Estonia. In November 2022 he was named in the Wales squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.[28] Thomas scored his first goal for Wales on 9 June 2025 in the 4-3 World Cup Qualifying match defeat to Belgium.[29]
Personal life
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 14 March 2026
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Boreham Wood | 2017–18[31][32] | National League | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 5[c] | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2018–19[33] | National League | 32 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 3[d] | 0 | 37 | 0 | ||
| 2019–20[34] | National League | 32 | 5 | 1 | 0 | — | 3[e] | 0 | 36 | 5 | ||
| 2020–21[35] | National League | 10 | 3 | 4 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 14 | 3 | ||
| Total | 77 | 8 | 7 | 0 | — | 11 | 0 | 95 | 8 | |||
| Cheshunt (loan) | 2017–18[36][37] | Isthmian League North | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||
| Huddersfield Town | 2020–21[35] | Championship | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | 7 | 0 | |||
| 2021–22[38] | Championship | 43 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3[f] | 0 | 51 | 3 | |
| 2022–23[39] | Championship | 23 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 25 | 0 | ||
| 2023–24[40] | Championship | 41 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 42 | 4 | ||
| 2024–25[41] | League One | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 114 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 125 | 7 | ||
| Blackburn Rovers (loan) | 2022–23[39] | Championship | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 17 | 0 | |
| Nantes (loan) | 2024–25[41] | Ligue 1 | 25 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 27 | 1 | ||
| Stoke City | 2025–26[42] | Championship | 37 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 39 | 9 | |
| Career total | 272 | 24 | 16 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 305 | 25 | ||
- Includes FA Cup, Coupe de France
- Two appearances in National League play-offs, one appearance in FA Trophy; two appearances in Hertfordshire Senior Cup
- Two appearances in FA Trophy; one appearance in Scottish Challenge Cup
- Two appearances in National League play-offs; one appearance in FA Trophy
- Appearance(s) in Championship play-offs
International
- As of match played 18 November 2025[43]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wales | 2021 | 2 | 0 |
| 2022 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2025 | 9 | 1 | |
| Total | 23 | 1 | |
Scores and results list Wales' goal tally first.
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 June 2025 | King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium | 18 |  Belgium |
2–3 |
3–4 |
2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Honours
Individual
