From the coastal breeze of Wellington, New Zealand, to the midwestern winters of Wisconsin, Thomas Raimbault’s path to High Point has been anything but linear. In this edition of Down to the Core, we dive into the journey of the 24-year-old midfielder who has navigated four countries and three continents during his professional journey. It is a story of resilience, fueled by a deep-rooted connection to family, and the grit required to overcome every transition.
Thomas was born in France, though his trek across the globe began at just two years old when his family relocated to New Zealand. Growing up in a culture where rugby is king, he found himself scrapping for every opportunity on the pitch, but by the age of eight, his mind was already made up.
"Soccer isn’t the biggest sport there, but I knew what I wanted, even at that early age and if it was a tough challenge." Thomas reflected.
That childhood ambition eventually pulled him across the Pacific at 16, when his father’s job moved the family to Vancouver, Canada. The move was a strategic play for Thomas’s development, landing him a spot in the Vancouver Whitecaps’ academy.
"That's when things really started to kick off," Thomas explains. "Being in the Whitecaps system, directly exposed to MLS. That's where I felt I could take that next step."
However, just as the path seemed to be clearing, the pandemic struck. Unable to renew his visa after high school, Thomas was forced back to New Zealand. He spent that period of uncertainty staying sharp with his local club in Wellington, waiting for a door to open. That opportunity eventually manifested as a return to his birthplace to play for SM Caen B in France.
"I absolutely loved playing in France,” Raimbault noted. “The quality was a huge step up. Once you get a taste of it, it’s addicting. I hope to end up back there someday."
Despite success in Europe, Thomas soon found himself at a new crossroads. While he had Division 1 college offers in the U.S., he hesitated, fearing that the NCAA route might signal the end of his professional aspirations. After weighing the potential pathways, he committed to UCLA, but the transition didn't provide the "sunny skies" he had envisioned.
"I wasn't playing my best or making the right decisions on and off the field," he admits. “It was one of the toughest periods I’ve been through. I felt lazy and wasn’t being pushed. I felt like I possibly made the wrong decision to go the NCAA route.”
Sensing he needed an environment that demanded more of him, Thomas traded the West Coast for the University of Wisconsin. In Madison, everything clicked. Connecting with fellow Kiwi and head coach Neil Jones, Thomas found a home where the work ethic his parents instilled in him finally resonated. He became a vital spark for the Badgers, recording five goals and five assists in his first season.
But just as he found his rhythm, momentum halted. A torn meniscus sidelined Thomas for seven months, a setback that could have broken a less seasoned traveler. Instead, the time away served as a moment of clarity.
"I was able to just sit and think," Thomas says. "I longed for the pitch every single day, which made it so clear that I wanted to keep pursuing this dream. It provided a boost to me." He attacked a tedious recovery process while eventually earning a degree in Consumer Behavior and Marketplace Studies, something he is incredibly proud of after “not having the patience” for school growing up.
That discipline and history are mirrored in the ink he wears, a detail Core fans have noticed since his arrival in early 2026. Thomas inherited a love for art from his father, a talented artist who taught him how to draw. He got his first tattoo at 16, the names of his parents and brother, and has continued to use his skin as a canvas for his journey ever since.
When it was suggested he should offer stencil tattoos at post-match autograph sessions; he laughed, admitting, "I'm not that good yet! Probably not the best idea for the fans either."
Today, Thomas serves as a vital engine for Carolina Core FC and leads the team with four assists. He has thoroughly enjoyed this latest chapter in his career, noting, “It’s really enjoyable to be around the guys, and it’s been a great experience so far.”
While his current focus is firmly on the pitch, the "world traveler" shared a fun thought on what life outside of soccer would look like. "I would probably surf all the time if I wasn't playing," he says. "I grew up lifeguarding in New Zealand and would spend my free time surfing when I could. One of my dreams is to get a van and just surf the shores around the world."
That is Thomas Raimbault: a resilient traveler whose family cornerstone has carried him through global moves and injury heartbreaks to become a true difference-maker for the Core.
