8 Amazing Yoane Wissa Facts You Might Not Know
- Think Football Ideas
- May 3
- 4 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
Full name: Yoane Wissa
Date of birth: 3 September 1996
Place of birth: Épinay-sous-Sénart, France
Height: 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s): Forward / Left winger
Current Club: Brentford
Jersey Number: 11
You know those players who seem to just quietly grind, switch positions like it’s nothing, and then, boom, Premier League record-breaker? Yeah, that’s Yoane Wissa. With a left foot as wicked as his journey, this Congolese-French baller has managed to carve out a career full of surprises.
Wissa’s story is anything but conventional. We’re talking unexpected career shifts, surprising challenges, and even a few life-altering moments. But through it all, he’s emerged stronger, switching between positions and breaking records as if it's all in a day’s work.
Here Are 9 Facts You Might Not Know (But Really Should) About Yoane Wissa, The Man Making Waves at Brentford
1. He started his football career between the sticks as a goalkeeper
Believe it or not, Yoane Wissa’s football journey started between the sticks. At the tender age of seven, he was diving around as a goalkeeper, because why not, right? But soon enough, he ditched the gloves and ventured outfield.
First as a midfielder, then a forward. And like every good attacking menace, he added "winger" and "number 10" to his résumé. Basically, every position except referee. Turns out, stopping goals wasn’t nearly as fun as scoring them. That versatility? It stuck.
2. Wissa’s Youth career was something of a round-trip:
2004–2010: Épinay-sous-Sénart (yes, back to where it all began)
2010–2011: Linas-Montlhéry (quick pit stop)
2011–2013: Épinay-sous-Sénart again (home’s home)
2013–2015: Châteauroux
Wissa’s early football journey was a tour of Île-de-France’s youth scene. He kicked things off at Épinay-sous-Sénart, bounced to Linas-Montlhéry for a year, then back to Épinay.
Finally, he landed at Châteauroux, where he started clicking. It was there he debuted for the senior side during the 2015–16 Championnat National season. Think of it as his "I’m him" moment.
3. He had a brief spell at Angers, which included several loan moves
Wissa made the leap to Angers in 2016. You’d think Ligue 1 meant big moments, but instead, it was more loans than league starts. Laval? Check. Ajaccio? Check. Angers II? Yep. If there was a team to be loaned to in the French football pyramid, Wissa probably had a locker there.
But even while bouncing around, he was developing grit. The man wasn’t just surviving – he was stockpiling motivation, and also the gritty stretch that seasoned him for what was to come.
4. Lorient changed everything
In January 2018, Wissa landed at Lorient, a Ligue 2 side with ambition. He hit the ground running under ex-France international Mikael Landreau, but it was under Christophe Pélissier that things really took off.
Wissa didn’t just become a starter, he became a threat. The goals came thick and fast, including 15 in 28 games in 2019–20 to help Lorient win promotion. Ligue 1? Secured. Confidence? Sky-high.
5. He became Brentford’s record Premier League goalscorer
“I told my agent: this is the one.” That’s how Wissa described his move to Brentford in August 2021. He arrived in West London with something to prove, and boy, did he deliver.
Signed for around £8.5 million, Wissa called it a “dream” move, his first choice. And it didn’t take long to see why: five goals in his first six games, acrobatic finishes, and an EFL Cup screamer that won Goal of the Tournament.
Fast-forward to 2025, and he’s Brentford’s all-time top Premier League scorer with 43 goals. That’s right, he leapfrogged Ivan Toney.
Shooting accuracy? 44%.
Tackle success? 58%.
Tackle success? 58%, because he grafts, too.
Super Yoane, indeed.
6. He could’ve played international rugby instead. No joke.
Before committing to football full-time, Wissa was a promising rugby player. He played union until he was 15. So yeah, the physicality? The contact? The explosive sprints?
It’s not just football training – it’s muscle memory from being a rugby menace. Imagine trying to shoulder this guy off the ball. Brentford fans probably owe rugby a thank-you note for letting him go.
7. He represents DR Congo. And reps it proudly
Born in France but Congolese to the core, Wissa represents DR Congo at international level. He also speaks Lingala, connects deeply with his roots, and wears the national shirt with pride. In fact, he was one of DR Congo’s stars at AFCON 2023, making the Team of the Tournament. Dual heritage, dual threat.
8. He is an Acid attack survivor. And still a baller
In July 2021, just weeks before his big Brentford move, Wissa was the victim of a horrifying acid attack. It required emergency eye surgery.
It could have ended everything. He made a full recovery, but let that sink in: he went from a hospital bed to staring at the G-Tech stadium in months. That’s resilience on another level.
At 28, Wissa’s story is still unfolding. From Épinay to Châteauroux, Lorient to London, and goalkeeping to golden boots, his career has been anything but ordinary. In short? Yoane Wissa is proof that the road to the top isn’t always linear.
It’s jagged, unexpected, and sometimes terrifying. But if you've got the talent, the tenacity, and the tackle success to match... You might end up with your name in the Brentford record books.
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