Yoane Wissa has turned three World Cup goals into a starting role against England. The 29-year-old is set to lead the line for the Democratic Republic of Congo in the round of 32 today, with a place in the next round on the line for a team making only its second World Cup appearance.
Wissa and England
Wissa scored the equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Portugal, then earned and converted a penalty against Uzbekistan in DR Congo's final group game. He also struck a long-range stoppage-time goal after Fiston Mayele had given DR Congo the lead against Uzbekistan, a run that has made him the clearest attacking reference point in the squad.
That surge comes at a useful moment for DR Congo. The country reached the World Cup only for the second time, and the last appearance came in 1974 under the name Zaire, when the team lost all three of its games. England are the opponent now, and Wissa is the player DR Congo will build around in the knockout round.
Newcastle United minutes
The contrast with last season at Newcastle United is sharp. Wissa joined from Brentford on the final day of last summer's transfer window for £55million, but he scored once in 19 league games and played 519 minutes in total.
Eddie Howe preferred Anthony Gordon or Will Osula as the central striker while Wissa dealt with a knee injury. The numbers explain why his World Cup form stands out: he was underused at club level, then produced three goals in a short tournament stretch for DR Congo.
Brentford to DR Congo
The path to this stage has been uneven. Wissa signed for Brentford from Lorient in August 2021, started only 28 of a possible 76 top-flight games in his first two seasons, and then flourished after Ivan Toney's eight-month ban in May 2023 for admitting to 232 breaches of the Football Association's betting rules.
He wanted to leave Brentford in the summer of 2024, and the club rejected a £22m bid from Nottingham Forest and an enquiry from Tottenham in January. That background is part of the same arc: a forward who waited for his opening, then used it for DR Congo on the biggest stage he has had yet.
Wissa's own words after the Uzbekistan win showed how far the World Cup run reaches beyond his club season. “It’s not easy in our country,” he said. “There’s a war in East Congo. Every day, every time we wear this shirt, we think about them.”
