From a childhood goalkeeper in France to Newcastle’s No. 9 and a place among DR Congo’s leading scorers, Wissa’s rise has been shaped by instinct, resilience and decisive goals.
Yoane Wissa is a French-born Congolese forward for Newcastle United and DR Congo. Born on 3 September 1996, he rose through Châteauroux, Angers, Lorient and Brentford before joining Newcastle in 2025. In September 2026, his 13th international goal moved him into DR Congo’s all-time top five men’s scorers.
Why Yoane Wissa Is in the News
Yoane Wissa returned to the headlines on 24 September 2026 when he scored in DR Congo’s 2-0 home victory over Equatorial Guinea. Chancel Mbemba headed the Leopards in front in the fourth minute before Wissa finished into the bottom corner in the 72nd. The Confederation of African Football’s match report confirms the scorer, minute and result.
The goal also carried a larger historical meaning. It was Wissa’s 13th for the senior national team, placing him alone in fifth on the men’s all-time DR Congo scoring list. XTRAfrica’s report on Wissa entering the Leopards’ top five explains the milestone and the one unresolved statistical detail: current reports disagree on whether he has 44 or 45 appearances. This biography therefore does not present a disputed cap total as settled fact.
The moment continued a remarkable international year. Wissa had already scored DR Congo’s first goal of the 2026 World Cup, helped the country earn its first point of the tournament and struck twice in the win that carried the Leopards into the knockout phase. His latest goal renewed interest in the longer story behind those achievements: his French upbringing, changing positions as a child, gradual climb through the leagues, Premier League breakthrough and difficult road into Newcastle’s No. 9 shirt.
Early Life and Congolese Roots
Yoane Wissa was born on 3 September 1996 in France and is 30 years old as of 25 September 2026. His official Newcastle United profile lists his date of birth, height of 176 centimetres and position as a forward. He grew up in a family with a deep interest in football and has spoken about both his father and older brother playing the game.
Wissa began playing organised football at seven. The first surprise in his story is that he was a goalkeeper, not a striker. He remained in goal for about four years before his mother encouraged him to become more involved in matches. He moved into midfield, first as a defensive No. 6 and later as a No. 10 and winger. Only after joining Châteauroux did he settle as a forward.
Football was not his only sport. Wissa played rugby at school and has said the contact, movement and footwork helped his athletic development. At about 14, he had to decide between rugby and football. His father supported the football route, while also insisting that school remained important. Wissa once stopped playing for a period because his academic work had slipped.
BIOGRAPHY
Yoane Wissa Biography: Age, Newcastle Career and DR Congo Goals
Sep 25, 2026
Sep 25, 2026
15 min read
Published
Updated:
From a childhood goalkeeper in France to Newcastle’s No. 9 and a place among DR Congo’s leading scorers, Wissa’s rise has been shaped by instinct, resilience and decisive goals.
Yoane Wissa is a French-born Congolese forward for Newcastle United and DR Congo. Born on 3 September 1996, he rose through Châteauroux, Angers, Lorient and Brentford before joining Newcastle in 2025. In September 2026, his 13th international goal moved him into DR Congo’s all-time top five men’s scorers.
Why Yoane Wissa Is in the News
Yoane Wissa returned to the headlines on 24 September 2026 when he scored in DR Congo’s 2-0 home victory over Equatorial Guinea. Chancel Mbemba headed the Leopards in front in the fourth minute before Wissa finished into the bottom corner in the 72nd. The Confederation of African Football’s match report confirms the scorer, minute and result.
The goal also carried a larger historical meaning. It was Wissa’s 13th for the senior national team, placing him alone in fifth on the men’s all-time DR Congo scoring list. XTRAfrica’s report on Wissa entering the Leopards’ top five explains the milestone and the one unresolved statistical detail: current reports disagree on whether he has 44 or 45 appearances. This biography therefore does not present a disputed cap total as settled fact.
The moment continued a remarkable international year. Wissa had already scored DR Congo’s first goal of the 2026 World Cup, helped the country earn its first point of the tournament and struck twice in the win that carried the Leopards into the knockout phase. His latest goal renewed interest in the longer story behind those achievements: his French upbringing, changing positions as a child, gradual climb through the leagues, Premier League breakthrough and difficult road into Newcastle’s No. 9 shirt.
Early Life and Congolese Roots
Yoane Wissa was born on 3 September 1996 in France and is 30 years old as of 25 September 2026. His official Newcastle United profile lists his date of birth, height of 176 centimetres and position as a forward. He grew up in a family with a deep interest in football and has spoken about both his father and older brother playing the game.
Wissa began playing organised football at seven. The first surprise in his story is that he was a goalkeeper, not a striker. He remained in goal for about four years before his mother encouraged him to become more involved in matches. He moved into midfield, first as a defensive No. 6 and later as a No. 10 and winger. Only after joining Châteauroux did he settle as a forward.
Football was not his only sport. Wissa played rugby at school and has said the contact, movement and footwork helped his athletic development. At about 14, he had to decide between rugby and football. His father supported the football route, while also insisting that school remained important. Wissa once stopped playing for a period because his academic work had slipped.
Those details, recorded in Brentford’s extended interview “Yoane Wissa: Natural Goalscorer”, help explain the player he became. The goalkeeper years taught him how defenders and goalkeepers read danger. Midfield developed his ability to receive and carry the ball. Rugby strengthened his balance and willingness to accept contact. By the time he became a striker, he had learned the pitch from several different positions.
Châteauroux and the First Professional Steps
Wissa spent years at Épinay-sous-Sénart and also played for Linas-Montlhéry before entering the Châteauroux system. He impressed for the reserve side, then scored seven goals in 23 first-team appearances in the French third tier. That season earned him a move to Angers in 2016.
The transfer was his first major step into the professional game. L’Équipe’s contemporary report recorded that the 19-year-old signed a three-year professional contract after his seven-goal campaign. He made his Ligue 1 debut for Angers, but regular opportunities were limited. Two substitute appearances did not provide enough time for a young forward still learning the senior game.
Loans became essential. Wissa spent time with Laval and then AC Ajaccio, where his scoring improved. At Ajaccio he delivered eight league goals in 20 outings during the first half of the 2017/18 season. Lorient acted in January 2018, signing him to a four-and-a-half-year contract. L’Équipe’s transfer record described him as one of the first half of Ligue 2’s revelations.
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Lorient was the club where Wissa moved from promising attacker to established professional. He became a regular source of goals, helped the team win promotion in 2019/20 and then proved he could score in Ligue 1. Newcastle’s career summary credits him with 35 league goals during his Lorient spell, including 10 in the French top flight. The performances brought him to the attention of Brentford, newly promoted to the Premier League in 2021.
Brentford and a Premier League Breakthrough
Brentford signed Wissa in the summer of 2021. The move placed him in a fast, flexible attack and demanded that he adjust quickly to English football. His first Premier League goal came as a substitute against Liverpool in a 3-3 draw. Less than a week later, he came off the bench and scored a stoppage-time winner at West Ham.
The finishing variety soon became part of his identity. Against Oldham in the League Cup, Wissa adjusted to a cross behind him and scored with an overhead kick. The goal won the competition’s Goal of the Tournament award. He also became dangerous from the edge of the penalty area, while his movement allowed him to attack spaces across the front line rather than remain fixed between centre-backs.
Wissa scored seven goals in 12 starts during his first league season and kept building. He recorded seven Premier League goals in 2022/23, then reached 12 in 2023/24 after becoming Brentford’s main centre-forward during Ivan Toney’s absence. His most productive campaign came in 2024/25: 20 goals in all competitions, including 19 in the Premier League.
His partnership with Cameroon forward Bryan Mbeumo was central to that rise. They lived close to one another, understood each other’s movements and contributed a large share of Brentford’s goals. Wissa could occupy the central channel while Mbeumo attacked from the right, but both were comfortable switching roles. Their pace made Brentford dangerous in transition, and their pressing gave the team energy without the ball.
Wissa left Brentford with 49 goals in 149 appearances in all competitions. That record is confirmed by his Newcastle profile and gives useful scale to his four years in west London. He had arrived as a versatile Ligue 1 attacker and departed as a proven Premier League scorer.
The 2021 Acid Attack and His Recovery
Wissa’s move to Brentford came after a traumatic attack that deserves careful, non-sensational treatment. In July 2021, days before the transfer was due to be completed, a woman threw acid in his face at his home in France and attempted to abduct his young daughter. Wissa required emergency treatment and later told a French court that it took about six months for his sight to be fully restored.
The attacker was convicted of attempted murder and attempting to kidnap Wissa’s daughter, receiving an 18-year prison sentence. The Guardian’s account of Wissa’s court testimony records both the physical recovery and the continuing psychological effects. His wife called emergency services, and the family later received psychological support.
The attack delayed his arrival in England and left him short of preseason preparation. It did not end his career. Brentford gave him time, and Wissa rebuilt his fitness before establishing himself.
His recovery should not be reduced to a motivational slogan: he has spoken candidly about anxiety, changed behaviour and the difficulty of feeling safe. The relevant football achievement is that he built a productive Premier League career while managing consequences that continued beyond the visible injuries.
Newcastle United and the No. 9 Shirt
Newcastle United signed Wissa from Brentford on 1 September 2025. The club announced a long-term contract and gave him the No. 9 shirt. The official transfer announcement did not disclose the fee, although several media reports published estimates. XTRAfrica’s coverage of Wissa’s Newcastle move provides the wider transfer context.
His first months on Tyneside were disrupted almost immediately. Wissa suffered a posterior cruciate ligament injury while away on international duty and had to wait until December for his club debut. When he appeared as a substitute in a 2-1 league win over Burnley, he became the 1,000th player to represent Newcastle in a league fixture, according to the club’s debut milestone report.
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Ten days later, he made his first start and scored his first Newcastle goal in a 2-1 League Cup victory over Fulham. Reflecting on the injury and comeback, Wissa said, “No story is a straight line.” The sentence fits more than one stage of his career: limited minutes at Angers, loans in France, the 2021 attack and an injured start at Newcastle all preceded important advances.
His 2026/27 season began positively. Wissa assisted Joe Willock against Liverpool and scored in a 2-0 away victory over Tottenham in August. Newcastle then nominated him for the Premier League Player of the Month award. Those contributions showed that the club was beginning to see the direct runner, quick finisher and pressing forward it had recruited.
DR Congo Career, AFCON and World Cup History
Although Wissa was born in France, his family heritage made him eligible for DR Congo. He made his senior debut for the Leopards in October 2020 and gradually became one of the team’s most dependable attacking players.
The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, played in early 2024, established him on the continental stage. DR Congo reached the semi-finals and finished fourth. Wissa scored twice during the tournament and was named in CAF’s official Best XI alongside teammate Chancel Mbemba. The CAF Technical Study Group’s selection placed him in a front line with Ademola Lookman and Emilio Nsue.
Wissa then played a central role in DR Congo’s return to the World Cup after 52 years. XTRAfrica’s explainer on why the 2026 qualification was historic traces the long gap from Zaire’s 1974 appearance to the Leopards’ modern return.
At the tournament, Wissa headed a stoppage-time equaliser against Portugal. FECOFA, the Congolese football federation, described it as DR Congo’s first World Cup finals goal and the result as the country’s first point under its current name. The careful distinction matters because Zaire competed in 1974. XTRAfrica’s report on the historic 1-1 draw with Portugal records the match context.
Wissa later scored twice against Uzbekistan as DR Congo earned its first win of the campaign and advanced to the knockout stage. His scoring continued after the World Cup. Against Equatorial Guinea on 24 September 2026, his low finish delivered goal No. 13 for the Leopards and moved him into the national team’s all-time top five.
That ranking is the clearest current marker of his international impact. The exact appearance total remains disputed across current reports, so it is omitted here. The goals, however, are consistently recorded, and the latest one was independently confirmed by CAF and Newcastle United.
Playing Style and Position
Wissa is primarily a centre-forward, but he can also play from either wing or alongside another striker. At 176 centimetres, his game is not built around dominating defenders in the air. His strengths are acceleration, sharp movement, balance under contact and fast decisions inside the penalty area.
He describes finishing as instinctive. A chance may exist for only a second, so his first movement and first touch matter. That can be seen in close-range runs, early shots from the edge of the box and improvised finishes such as his overhead kick against Oldham. He is right-footed but has scored in varied ways, including headers and composed finishes with either foot.
Without the ball, Wissa presses defenders and can defend from the front. In transition, he runs directly into the channels and creates space for teammates. His earlier years in goal, midfield and rugby all contributed something: he reads the goalkeeper, carries the ball naturally and remains strong through contact.
Wife, Children and Family Life
Wissa is married. Reliable court reporting and coverage of the 2021 attack confirm that his wife was present during the emergency and that the couple have children. Brentford’s long-form interview also records Wissa speaking about spending weekends at home with “the kids,” establishing that there is more than one child.
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This profile does not publish the names of his wife or children. They are not public figures, and naming minors would add no value to understanding his career. The verified family facts are presented at the level necessary to answer common reader questions while protecting their privacy.
His parents also influenced his sporting path. His mother encouraged the move out of goal, while his father emphasised education and supported football when Wissa had to choose between it and rugby. Their names are not necessary to tell that story, and reliable primary sources do not establish them as public figures.
Yoane Wissa Career Timeline
Year | Event | Significance |
1996 | Born in France on 3 September | Began life in a French-Congolese family |
2003 | Started organised football as a goalkeeper | Learned the game from a position he played for about four years |
2015 | Broke into Châteauroux’s senior team | Began his professional climb in the French third tier |
2016 | Signed for Angers | Earned his first professional contract and Ligue 1 debut |
2017 | Joined Ajaccio on loan | Produced the goals that accelerated his development |
2018 | Moved permanently to Lorient | Found the club where he became an established senior forward |
2020 | Helped Lorient win promotion and debuted for DR Congo | Reached Ligue 1 and began his Leopards career |
2021 | Joined Brentford | Entered the Premier League after recovering from an acid attack |
2024 | Reached the AFCON semi-finals | Scored twice and made CAF’s Team of the Tournament |
2025 | Completed a 19-goal Premier League season | Recorded the best league return of his club career |
2025 | Signed for Newcastle United | Took the club’s No. 9 shirt on a long-term contract |
2026 | Scored DR Congo’s first World Cup goal under its current name | Earned a historic point against Portugal |
2026 | Reached 13 international goals | Moved into fifth on DR Congo’s men’s scoring list |
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Yoane Wissa?
Yoane Wissa is 30 years old as of 25 September 2026. He was born on 3 September 1996.
Where was Yoane Wissa born?
He was born in France and grew up in the Paris region. He represents DR Congo through his Congolese family heritage.
Which club does Yoane Wissa play for?
He plays for Newcastle United in the Premier League and wears the No. 9 shirt. He joined the club from Brentford in September 2025.
What position does Yoane Wissa play?
Wissa is primarily a centre-forward. He can also play on either wing or as part of a two-striker system.
How tall is Yoane Wissa?
Newcastle United lists him at 176 centimetres tall.
How many goals has Yoane Wissa scored for DR Congo?
He reached 13 senior international goals on 24 September 2026. Current Congolese and African reports place him fifth on the Leopards’ men’s all-time scoring list.
Did Yoane Wissa play at the 2026 World Cup?
Yes. He scored against Portugal and twice against Uzbekistan as DR Congo advanced from the group stage during its first World Cup appearance in 52 years.
Is Yoane Wissa married?
Yes. Court reporting and family-related coverage confirm that Wissa is married. His wife’s identity is withheld here because she is not a public figure.
Does Yoane Wissa have children?
Yes. Reliable sources establish that he has at least two children.
What happened to Yoane Wissa in 2021?
He survived an acid attack at his home in France shortly before joining Brentford. He required medical treatment, later regained full sight and testified at the trial of the attacker, who received an 18-year sentence.
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