Yoane Wissa

Yoane Wissa (born 3 September 1996) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward or left winger for 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.

Early years
Wissa began his youth career as a goalkeeper at the age of seven. He played for his local youth club Épinay-sous-Sénart, before moving to midfield and then the forward line. As his youth career progressed, he also became adept as a winger and number 10. 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, 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
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 $3 1/2$-year stay at the Stade du Moustoir with 128 appearances and 37 goals.

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. 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. Despite being unable to link up with the club during pre-season due to having undergone eye surgery, Wissa scored five goals in his first six appearances for the club. 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, a bicycle kick, was voted Goal of the Round and Goal of the Tournament. Wissa's goalscoring run was ended by an ankle knock suffered in mid-October 2021. 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, which included a run of six starts during the final 9 matches 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 still in contention for a European place on the final day. 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. Following the transfer deadline day loan signing of forward Neal Maupay, Wissa alternated between the forward and left wing positions. Wissa top-scored for the club during the 2023–24 season, with 12 goals from 36 appearances, predominantly as a starter. He ended the season with a run of eight goals in 13 league matches.

International career
Wissa won his maiden call into the DR Congo squad for a pair of friendly matches in October 2020. 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. 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. 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, Wissa can speak the Lingala language. He acquired French nationality on December 2000 through the collective effect of his parents' naturalization.

Prior to making the decision to concentrate on football at age 15, he also played rugby union. He was the subject of an alleged acid attack in July 2021 and made a full recovery from emergency eye surgery.

International

 * Scores and results list DR Congo's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Wissa goal.

Honours
Lorient Individual
 * Ligue 2: 2019–20
 * Africa Cup of Nations Team of the Tournament: 2023