Biography
Who is Yoane Wissa?
Early life and youth career
Yoane Wissa was born in Épinay-sous-Sénart, DR Congo, on September 3, 1996. He began playing football at the age of seven, starting his development as a goalkeeper. Eventually, he transitioned into the midfield and forward positions. His early youth training took place at his local club, Épinay-sous-Sénart, before he moved into the professional ranks.
Before fully committing to professional football at age 15, he played rugby union. He holds French nationality, which he acquired in December 2000 through his parents. Outside of his athletic career, he is a practicing Muslim and graduated from the PFA Business School in September 2025 with a Postgraduate Diploma in Global Football Business Management.
Professional club career
Yoane Wissa began his senior career at Châteauroux in 2015, where he broke into the first team during the Championnat National season. After a brief time with Angers and loan spells at Laval and Ajaccio, he joined Lorient in January 2018. His performance helped Lorient achieve promotion to Ligue 1 after winning the Ligue 2 championship in the 2019-20 season.
In August 2021, he transferred to the English Premier League club Brentford. Over four seasons, he became a key attacking player, especially becoming the club's record Premier League goalscorer in January 2025. In total, he scored 20 goals during the 2024-25 season. He completed a move to Newcastle United in September 2025 for a fee of £50 million. He made his debut for Newcastle against Burnley and his UEFA Champions League debut against Bayer Leverkusen later that year.
International football
Representing the DR Congo national team, Yoane Wissa received his first call-up in October 2020. He scored his first international goals during matches against Morocco. He played a significant role in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, where he scored two goals and helped his team reach the third-place play-off.
In June 2026, he represented DR Congo at the FIFA World Cup. He made history by scoring the nation's first-ever goal in the tournament during a match against Portugal. Later that month, he earned the Man of the Match award after scoring twice in a victory over Uzbekistan, which secured the country's first World Cup win and a place in the knockout stage.
Playing style and recovery
He is known for his versatility on the pitch, having played as a winger, number 10, and forward. Coaches and analysts have noted his pace, power, and pressing abilities, as well as his skill in creating goal-scoring chances. During his time at Brentford, he formed a successful partnership with Bryan Mbeumo.
In July 2021, he was the victim of an acid attack. He required emergency eye surgery as a result of the incident but eventually made a full recovery to continue his professional career.
Birthday and age
Yoane Wissa was born on September 3, 1996, which makes Yoane 30 years old today. That birthday falls under the Virgo sign. Yoane shares the date with 55 other famous people.
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