Yoane Wissa
{{EngvarB|date=June 2025}}
{{Short description|Footballer (born 1996)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Yoane Wissa
| image = CAN 2023RD Congo 2-1 Guinée 9939 (cropped).jpg
| caption = Wissa playing for DR Congo in 2024
| full_name = Yoane Wissa{{Cite web |date=10 September 2021 |title=2021/22 Premier League squads confirmed |url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/2247219 |access-date=12 September 2021 |publisher=Premier League}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|9|3|df=y}}
| birth_place = Épinay-sous-Sénart, France
| height = 1.76 m{{Cite web |title=Yoane Wissa |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/en/teams/profile/yoane-wissa |access-date=2 August 2022 |website=Brentford F.C.}}
| position = Forward, left winger
| currentclub = Brentford
| clubnumber = 11
| youthyears1 = 2004–2010
| youthclubs1 = Épinay-sous-Sénart
| youthyears2 = 2010–2011
| youthclubs2 = Linas-Montlhéry
| youthyears3 = 2011–2013
| youthclubs3 = Épinay-sous-Sénart
| youthyears4 = 2013–2015
| youthclubs4 = Châteauroux
| years1 = 2014–2016
| clubs1 = Châteauroux II
| caps1 = 20
| goals1 = 9
| years2 = 2015–2016
| clubs2 = Châteauroux
| caps2 = 23
| goals2 = 7
| years3 = 2016–2018
| clubs3 = Angers
| caps3 = 2
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2016–2017
| clubs4 = Angers II
| caps4 = 5
| goals4 = 4
| years5 = 2017
| clubs5 = → Laval (loan)
| caps5 = 15
| goals5 = 2
| years6 = 2017
| clubs6 = → Laval II (loan)
| caps6 = 1
| goals6 = 0
| years7 = 2017–2018
| clubs7 = → Ajaccio (loan)
| caps7 = 20
| goals7 = 9
| years8 = 2018–2021
| clubs8 = Lorient
| caps8 = 117
| goals8 = 35
| years9 = 2021–
| clubs9 = Brentford
| caps9 = 137
| goals9 = 45
| nationalyears1 = 2020–
| nationalteam1 = DR Congo
| nationalcaps1 = 33
| nationalgoals1 = 6
| club-update = 23:09, 25 May 2025 (UTC)
| nationalteam-update = 10:36, 9 June 2025 (UTC)
}}
Yoane Wissa (born 3 September 1996) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward or left winger for {{English football updater|Brentfor}} club Brentford. Born in France, he represents the DR Congo national team at international level.
A product of the Châteauroux academy, Wissa began his senior career with the club in 2015. Following a spell with Angers, he transferred to Lorient in 2018. Wissa was a part of the Lorient team which finished the 2019–20 season as Ligue 2 champions. Following a season in Ligue 1, he joined Brentford in 2021.
Club career
= Early years =
Wissa began his youth career as a goalkeeper at the age of seven.{{Cite web |last=Goodwin |first=Adam |title=Yoane Wissa: Natural Goalscorer |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/en/news/article/the-long-read-yoane-wissa |access-date=1 September 2022 |website=brentfordfc.com |language=en-gb}} He played for his local youth club Épinay-sous-Sénart, before moving to midfield and then the forward line.{{Cite web |last=Traoré |first=Samy |title=Yoane Wissa (Châteauroux): " Je me fixe un objectif de 10 buts " |url=http://www.lesesthetesdufoot.fr/yoane-wissa-chateauroux-je-me-fixe-un-objectif-de-10-buts/ |access-date=14 January 2017 |website=Les Esthètes du Foot}} As his youth career progressed, he also became adept as a winger and number 10.{{Cite web |title=Yoane Wissa Signs for Brentford |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2021/august/yoane-wissa-signs-for-brentford-fc/ |access-date=11 August 2021 |website=brentfordfc.com |language=en-gb}} Wissa began his senior career as a forward with Châteauroux and progressed through the reserve team to break into the first team during the 2015–16 Championnat National season,{{Cite web |date=24 May 2016 |title=Info FF – Transferts – Mercato : Yoane Wissa (Châteauroux) vers Angers |url=https://www.francefootball.fr/news/Mercato-yoane-wissa-chateauroux-vers-angers/681268 |access-date=14 January 2017 |website=France Football}} which he finished with 24 appearances and seven goals. A transfer to Ligue 1 club Angers followed in 2016, but Wissa managed just two substitute appearances during the first half of the 2016–17 season and he played much of 2017 away on loan at Ligue 2 clubs Laval and Ajaccio. Wissa departed the Stade Raymond Kopa in January 2018.
= Lorient =
File:RC Lens - FC Lorient (23-04-2019) 20.jpg in 2019.]]
In January 2018, Wissa transferred to Ligue 2 club Lorient and immediately established himself at the promotion-chasing club. Promotion to Ligue 1 was attained at the end of the 2019–20 season, when Wissa's 15 goals in 28 appearances helped the club to the Ligue 2 championship. He made 38 appearances and scored 10 goals during the 2020–21 season, in which Lorient narrowly avoided finishing in the relegation playoff places. Wissa departed the club in August 2021 and finished his {{frac|3|1|2}}-year stay at the Stade du Moustoir with 128 appearances and 37 goals.
= Brentford =
== 2021–22 ==
On 10 August 2021, Wissa moved to England to join newly-promoted Premier League club Brentford on a four-year contract, with the option of a further year, for an undisclosed fee, reported to be £8.5 million.{{Cite web |title=Brentford transfer news: Yoane Wissa joins from Lorient in £8.5m deal |url=https://www.skysports.com/transfer/news/11748/12378273/brentford-transfer-news-yoane-wissa-joins-from-lorient-in-8-5m-deal |access-date=11 August 2021 |website=SkySports |language=en}} The transfer had been in the works for two years and he had turned down the opportunity to move to the Community Stadium during the previous transfer window.{{Cite news |last=Dean |first=Sam |date=15 October 2021 |title=Yoane Wissa interview: The humble Brentford striker dreaming of Premier League stardom |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2021/10/15/yoane-wissa-interview-humble-brentford-striker-dreaming-premier/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=17 October 2021 |work=The Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}} Despite being unable to link up with the club during pre-season after undergoing eye surgery,{{Cite news |last=Harris |first=Jay |title=Yoane Wissa is finding his feet at last |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/3299680/2022/05/08/yoane-wissa-is-finding-his-feet-at-last/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=11 May 2022 |website=The Athletic |date=9 May 2022 |language=en}} Wissa scored five goals in his first six appearances for the club.{{Cite web |title=Wissa signs new Brentford contract |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/en/news/article/first-team-brentford-yoane-wissa-signs-new-contract |access-date=4 May 2023 |website=brentfordfc.com |language=en-gb}} His brace in a 7–0 EFL Cup third round win over Oldham Athletic on 21 September 2021 was recognised with a place in the EFL Cup Team of the Round and his second goal,{{Cite web |last=Hodgson |first=George |date=23 September 2021 |title=Carabao Cup Team of the Round as Rodriguez and Hughes feature |url=https://www.lancs.live/sport/football/football-news/carabao-cup-preston-burnley-liverpool-21653611 |access-date=23 September 2021 |website=LancsLive |language=en}} a bicycle kick, was voted Goal of the Round and Goal of the Tournament.{{Cite web |title=Wissa Wonderstrike Wins Carabao Cup Goal of the Round vote |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2021/september/yoane-wissa-wins-carabao-cup-goal-of-the-round-vote/ |access-date=2 October 2021 |website=brentfordfc.com |language=en-gb}}{{Cite web |title=Yoane Wissa voted Carabao Cup Goal of the Competition |url=https://www.efl.com/news/2022/march/yoane-wissa-voted-carabao-cup-goal-of-the-competition/ |access-date=8 March 2022 |website=efl.com |language=en-gb}} Wissa's goalscoring run was ended by an ankle knock suffered in mid-October 2021.{{Cite web |last=Taylor |first=Julian |date=16 October 2021 |title=Frank: Bees should have beaten Chelsea |url=https://www.westlondonsport.com/chelsea/football-wls-it-was-crazy-frank-insists-bees-should-have-beaten-chelsea-and-gives-update-on-wissa-injury |access-date=17 October 2021 |website=West London Sport |language=en-GB}} He returned to match play two months later and was deployed in a mixture of starting and substitute roles through to the end of the season. Wissa ended the 2021–22 season with 34 appearances and 10 goals.
== 2022–2024 ==
Wissa was deployed in a mix of starting and substitute roles and scored seven goals in 40 appearances during the 2022–23 season, in which Brentford were in contention for a European place on the final day.{{Cite news |title=Brentford miss out on Europe despite beating Man City |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/65661820 |access-date=28 May 2023 |work=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}} In May 2023, he signed a new three-year contract, with the option of a further year.
Following Ivan Toney's eight-month ban from all football-related activity, Wissa began the 2023–24 season as Brentford's starting centre forward.{{Cite web |title=Wissa: I'll thrive on pressure as Brentford's centre-forward |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/en/news/article/interviews-yoane-wissa-brentford-premier-league-23-08-2023 |access-date=23 August 2023 |website=brentfordfc.com |language=en-gb}} Following the transfer deadline day loan signing of forward Neal Maupay,{{Cite web |title=Maupay returns to Brentford |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/en/news/article/first-team-neal-maupay-transfer-everton-brentford |access-date=27 December 2023 |website=Brentford FC}} Wissa alternated between the forward and left wing positions.{{Cite web |title=Frank's new-look front three combine to devastating effect as Brentford beat Burnley |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/en/news/article/analysis-mbeumo-wissa-maupay-brentford-3-burnley-0-premier-league-21-10-2023 |access-date=27 December 2023 |website=Brentford FC}}{{Cite news |last=Harris |first=Jay |title=Mbeumo has stepped up this season – his injury could be damaging for Brentford |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5118855/2023/12/07/bryan-mbeumo-injury-brentford/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=27 December 2023 |website=The Athletic |date=15 December 2023 |language=en}} Wissa top-scored for the club during the 2023–24 season, with 12 goals from 36 appearances,{{Cite web |title=Analysis: Wissa's emergence as a genuine Premier League goalscorer |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/en/news/article/analysis-brentford-yoane-wissa-premier-league-fpl |access-date=20 May 2024 |website=brentfordfc.com |language=en-gb}} predominantly as a starter. He ended the season with a run of eight goals in 13 league matches.
== 2024–present ==
A long-term injury suffered by new centre forward signing Igor Thiago during the 2024–25 pre-season allowed Wissa to begin the regular season in the position.{{Cite web |title=Injury Update: Igor Thiago |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/en/news/article/first-team-injury-update-igor-thiago-31-08-2024 |access-date=15 January 2025 |website=brentfordfc.com |language=en-gb}}{{Cite web |date=20 September 2024 |title=How Brentford can cope without Wissa as Frank plots attacking solution |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/brentford-fc-yoane-wissa-injury-thomas-frank-b1183112.html |access-date=15 January 2025 |website=The Standard |language=en}} He began the season with three goals from four Premier League starting appearances and three goals across four appearances in November 2024 saw him nominated for the Premier League Player of the Month award.{{Cite web |title=Pick your EA Sports Player of the Month |url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/4183544 |access-date=5 December 2024 |publisher=Premier League |language=en}} Wissa's 37th Premier League goal, scored in a 2–2 draw with Manchester City on 14 January 2025, made him the club's record Premier League goalscorer.{{Cite web |date=14 January 2025 |title=Brentford 2–2 Man City: A proud night for Wissa as he sparks memorable fightback |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c5yvr1g7wjyo |access-date=15 January 2025 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}} He ended the 2024–25 season with 39 appearances and a season-high 20 goals.
International career
Wissa won his maiden call into the DR Congo squad for a pair of friendly matches in October 2020.{{Cite web |date=22 September 2020 |title=RD Congo : Six nouveaux chez les Léopards, mais pas Disasi |trans-title=DR Congo: Six new among the Leopards, but not Disasi |url=https://www.sport365.fr/rd-congo-six-nouveaux-chez-les-leopards-mais-pas-disasi-9963785.html |access-date=22 September 2020 |language=fr}} He scored his first two international goals on his second and third caps, in friendly and 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches versus Morocco respectively.
Wissa was a part of the DR Congo squad which qualified for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and he was named in the squad for the tournament finals.{{Cite web |title=Onyeka and Wissa receive AFCON call-ups |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/en/news/article/international-frank-onyeka-nigeria-yoane-wissa-dr-congo-2023-africa-cup-of-nations |access-date=1 January 2024 |website=Brentford FC}} He appeared in each match and scored two goals during the team's run to the third place play-off, which was lost on penalties to South Africa.{{Cite news |title=South Africa v DR Congo |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/68190249 |access-date=10 February 2024 |work=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}} Wissa's performances were recognised with a place in the Team of the Tournament.
Style of play
Wissa has been described as a player who "fits many different positions", including winger, number 10 and forward. He has "pace and power", is "a threat in behind", "has good ability to take on players and create overloads" and "good pressing abilities".
Personal life
Born in France of Congolese descent,{{Cite web |date=19 December 2018 |title=Les échos de Muko : Masuaku prend le meilleur sur Kebano, Wamangituka et Bela montent en puissance |url=https://www.leopardsfoot.com/les-echos-de-muko-masuaku-prend-le-meilleur-sur-kebano-wamangituka-et-bela-montent-en-puissance/}} Wissa can speak the Lingala language.{{Cite web |date=3 February 2018 |title=Interwiew selfie. Yoane Wissa : " Mon rêve était d'être astronaute " |url=https://www.letelegramme.fr/morbihan/lorient/interwiew-selfie-yoane-wissa-mon-reve-etait-d-etre-astronaute-03-02-2018-11838479.php |access-date=10 August 2021 |website=Le Telegramme |language=fr}} He acquired French nationality in December 2000 through the collective effect of his parents' naturalisation.{{Cite web |title=Journal officiel de la République française n° 0303 du 31 décembre 2000 |url=https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/jo/id/JORFCONT000000006763 |access-date=2 November 2023 |website=Légifrance |language=fr}}
Prior to making the decision to concentrate on football at age 15, he also played rugby union. He was the subject of an acid attack in July 2021 and made a full recovery from emergency eye surgery.
Career statistics
= Club =
{{updated|match played 25 May 2025}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National cup{{efn|Includes Coupe de France, FA Cup}} !colspan="2"|League cup{{efn|Includes Coupe de la Ligue, EFL Cup}} !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="4"|Châteauroux II
|2013–14{{Soccerway|id=320030|accessdate=11 August 2021}} |CFA 2 Group G |1 | 0 | colspan="2"|― | colspan="2"|― | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2014–15
|CFA 2 Group B |14 | 9 | colspan="2"|― | colspan="2"|― | 14 | 9 | |||
| 2015–16
|CFA 2 Group B |5 | 0 | colspan="2"|― | colspan="2"|― | 5 | 0 | |||
| colspan="2"|Total
!20 | 9 | colspan="2"|― | colspan="2"|― | 20 | 9 | |||
| Châteauroux
|23 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 24 | 7 | |
| Angers
|2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Angers II
|CFA 2 Group A |5 | 4 | colspan="2"|― | colspan="2"|― | 5 | 4 | |||
| Laval (loan)
|15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 2 | |
| Laval II (loan)
|CFA 2 Group A |1 | 0 | colspan="2"|― | colspan="2"|― | 1 | 0 | |||
| Ajaccio (loan)
|Ligue 2 |20 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 10 | |
| rowspan="5"|Lorient
|Ligue 2 |15 | 4 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|― | 16 | 4 | ||
| 2018–19
|Ligue 2 |36 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 40 | 6 | |
| 2019–20
|Ligue 2 |28 | 15 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 16 | |
| 2020–21
|Ligue 1 |38 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 11 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!117 | 35 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 128 | 37 | |
| rowspan="5"|Brentford
|2021–22{{Soccerbase season|id=88182|season=2021|access-date=11 August 2021}} |30 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 34 | 10 | |
| 2022–23{{Soccerbase season|id=88182|season=2022|access-date=7 August 2022}}
|Premier League |38 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 7 | |
| 2023–24{{Soccerbase season|id=88182|season=2023|access-date=6 April 2024}}
|Premier League |34 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 36 | 12 | |
| 2024–25{{Soccerbase season|id=88182|season=2024|access-date=18 August 2024}}
|Premier League |35 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 39 | 20 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!137 | 45 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 4 | 149 | 49 | |
| colspan="3"|Career total
!240 | 110 | 13 | 4 | 14 | 4 | 266 | 118 |
{{notelist}}
= International =
{{updated|match played 8 June 2025}}{{NFT player|79743|access-date=11 August 2021}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year !National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals | ||
| rowspan="5"|DR Congo
|2020 | 2 | 1 |
| 2022 | 6 | 1 |
| 2023 | 8 | 1 |
| 2024 | 13 | 2 |
| 2025 | 4 | 1 |
| colspan="2"|Total | 33 | 6 |
|---|
{{updated|match played 8 June 2025}}
:Scores and results list DR Congo's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Wissa goal.
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ List of international goals scored by Yoane Wissa !scope="col"|No. !scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Venue !scope="col"|Opponent !scope="col"|Score !scope="col"|Result !scope="col"|Competition !scope="col" class="unsortable"|{{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
| align="center"|1
|13 October 2020 |Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat, Morocco |{{fb|MAR}} |align="center"|1–1 |align="center"|1–1 |
| align="center"|2
|25 March 2022 |Stade des Martyrs, Kinshasa, DR Congo |{{fb|MAR}} |align="center"|1–0 |align="center"|1–1 |
| align="center"|3
|15 November 2023 |Stade des Martyrs, Kinshasa, DR Congo |{{fb|MTN}} |align="center"|1–0 |align="center"|2–0 |
| align="center"|4
|17 January 2024 |Laurent Pokou Stadium, San-Pédro, Ivory Coast |{{ZAM}} |align="center"|1–1 |align="center"|1–1 |
| align="center"|5
|2 February 2024 |Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan, Ivory Coast |{{GUI}} |align="center"|2–1 |align="center"|3–1 |
| align="center"|6
|8 June 2025 |Stade de la Source, Orléans, France |{{MAD}} |align="center"|2–0 |align="center"|3–1 |Friendly |align="center"|{{cite web |title=Highlights and goals of DR Congo 3–1 Madagascar International friendly match |url=https://www.vavel.com/en-us/soccer/2025/06/08/1225104-rd-congo-vs-madagascar-live-score-updates-stream-info-and-how-to-watch-international-friendly-match.html |access-date=8 June 2025 |website=Vavel}} |
Honours
Lorient
Individual
- Africa Cup of Nations Team of the Tournament: 2023{{Cite web |date=14 February 2024 |title=CAF TSG Group releases TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nation Cote d'Ivoire 2023 Best XI |url=https://www.cafonline.com/caf-africa-cup-of-nations/news/caf-tsg-group-releases-totalenergies-caf-africa-cup-of-nation-cote-d-ivoire-2023-best-xi/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240214121627/https://www.cafonline.com/caf-africa-cup-of-nations/news/caf-tsg-group-releases-totalenergies-caf-africa-cup-of-nation-cote-d-ivoire-2023-best-xi/ |archive-date=14 February 2024 |access-date=14 February 2024 |website=CAF Online |publisher=Confederation of African Football}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- {{Soccerway|320030}}
- {{Soccerbase|id=88182}}
- [https://www.brentfordfc.com/en/teams/profile/yoane-wissa Yoane Wissa] at Brentford F.C.
- {{Premier League player}}
{{Brentford F.C. squad}}
{{DR Congo squad 2023 Africa Cup of Nations}}
{{2023 Africa Cup of Nations Team of the Tournament}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wissa, Yoane}}
Category:Footballers from Essonne
Category:Democratic Republic of the Congo men's footballers
Category:French men's footballers
Category:Naturalized citizens of France
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:ESA Linas-Montlhéry players
Category:LB Châteauroux players
Category:Stade Lavallois players
Category:Brentford F.C. players
Category:Championnat National 3 players
Category:Championnat National players
Category:Premier League players
Category:Democratic Republic of the Congo men's international footballers
Category:Democratic Republic of the Congo expatriate men's footballers
Category:French expatriate men's footballers
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England
Category:Democratic Republic of the Congo expatriate sportspeople in England
Category:French expatriate sportspeople in England
Category:Black French sportspeople
Category:French sportspeople of Democratic Republic of the Congo descent