Sorba Thomas: Huddersfield winger on his stunning rise from non-league to first Wales call-up

Only Paul Pogba has more assists than Sorba Thomas in England's top four divisions this season

The closest Sorba Thomas used to get to Aaron Ramsey and other Wales international footballers was by playing as them on video games.

Now the 22-year-old is training alongside them, having been named in Wales' squad for the first time last week.

The call-up represented a remarkable ascent for Thomas, who was playing non-league football at the start of this year.

He had considered quitting football when he was released by West Ham in his teens, but rebuilt his career with Boreham Wood in the National League before earning a move to Huddersfield Town - three divisions higher - in January.

Thomas took it in his stride. Having impressed as a left winger and wing-back, he was named the Championship's player of the month in August and now the former scaffolder's latest promotion has taken him to the heady heights of international football.

"Sometimes I pinch myself to make sure it's not all a dream," says Thomas.

"I'm seeing some of the boys that I see playing on Fifa [football video game] not long ago to standing right next to them. It's an amazing feeling.

"I open the door of my hotel room and I see Aaron Ramsey straight across me. Sometimes I have to pinch myself - is that Aaron Ramsey right there? It's crazy.

"My mum came down today to see me. You could see by her facial expressions how proud and happy she is."

It is thanks to his Newport-born mum Gail that Thomas, who was born and raised in London, qualifies for Wales.

So when the Huddersfield player received the call last week, there was only one person he was going to tell first.

"The first thing I did was call my mum and I had her crying to me on the phone," Thomas says.

"It showed me how much it meant for me but for her it was massive."

Thomas hopes his first Wales call-up will be the beginning of a lasting and successful international career - but it is also the culmination of a long journey.

It started at West Ham's academy, where a teenage Thomas thought he was destined to become a Premier League footballer until he was released.

"Being told you're not good enough is a smack in the face," he says.

"That was the first time I was told I wasn't good enough. I didn't take it well. I didn't really want to play anymore.

"I kind of fell out of love with the game and tried to look at Plan Bs. My family and friends knew how much I wanted to be a pro footballer and getting back on the horse was hard.

"I started a little Sunday League team for a few months and tried to find the love again. I went to Boreham Wood and success started there really."

Thomas tried his hand at other trades - scaffolding among them - when his dream of making it as a footballer appeared to be ebbing away.

But joining Boreham Wood proved to be a turning point. Thomas signed for the National League club's academy at 16 and moved up to the senior squad a year later.

He soon became a first-team fixture and his sparkling displays on the left wing caught the attention of bigger clubs, including Huddersfield.

The Terriers signed Thomas in January and, after half a season in and out of the team as he settled at a higher level, this term has been his breakthrough campaign.

By August Thomas had caught the eye of Wales manager Robert Page and, after missing out on September's World Cup qualifiers, he earned his first call-up last week.

"I remember sitting in the hotel room and I was literally speechless," Thomas says.

"My phone was going off, at some point I actually had to turn the phone off.

"It was a dream come true."

Now Thomas has the Wales training gear to wear, the next aim is to pull on the red shirt for his debut.

Wales face the Czech Republic in a World Cup qualifier in Prague on Friday, before taking on Estonia in Tallinn on Monday.

When Thomas is asked how tough a first international match may be in comparison to a scaffolding shift, he beams with a broad smile.

"I had some hard days doing scaffolding, putting those poles up," he says.

"I am buzzing, I can't wait! I am so excited.

"To be called up was a dream come true but to put on the jersey and play for Wales will probably be a moment that I will never forget in my life."

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