Yoane Wissa has been talismanic for DR Congo at the World Cup as they prepare to face England. But the Newcastle United striker was lucky not to lose his eyesight after a 2021 acid attack.
DR Congo have pieced together a historic run in North America, battling through a tough Group K to finish third on four points. They began their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Portugal and it was Wissa who scored the equaliser.
A 1-0 defeat to Colombia followed, but in a decisive match against Uzbekistan, Wissa was the hero once more, scoring twice as they won 3-1 and secured their spot in the World Cup knockouts for the very first time. They had only competed at the tournament once before in 1974 under the name Zaire.
The Three Lions will now face them in the round of 32 and Wissa will be their leading light. The 29-year-old’s journey to the world stage has not been easy, though, and he was the victim of a brutal acid attack five years ago that required emergency surgery.
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On July 1, 2021, a 36-year-old woman approached Wissa’s home in northwestern France and asked the then-FC Lorient player for an autograph. He obliged, but later that evening the woman, identified only as Laetitia P. in court, returned. As the door opened, she threw a highly corrosive liquid directly into Wissa’s face and eyes and attempted to kidnap his newborn daughter.
View 3 ImagesWissa was the victim of an acid attack whilst playing for French side FC Lorient(Image: Getty)
He managed to prevent her from taking the baby, but suffered severe chemical burns. Wissa was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery on both eyes and doctors were able to prevent him from going permanently blind. Remarkably, he made an £8.5million transfer to Brentford just one month after the attack.
The investigation revealed the woman had been faking a pregnancy and lying to her husband. She then attempted to kidnap a baby to keep up the lie, targeting Wissa’s family. Just one day later, she attacked another woman with acid in another attempt to steal a child. She was tracked down and arrested on July 3.
In January 2025, the assailant went on trial in France. Wissa travelled from England to attend the trial and deliver an emotional testimony. He told the court, according to reports: “It has been a nightmare.
“Since then, I panic every time I hear a noise, and the only thing that kept me going was knowing my children are safe. I had surgery on both eyes and the doctor told me I will need to use eye drops for the rest of my life. It took me six months before I fully got my sight back.
“Had I not been treated so quickly, the consequences would have been far worse. My wife and I will suffer the after-effects for the rest of our lives. Since that time I have become withdrawn. I can no longer tolerate being around people I don’t know.
View 3 ImagesThe striker admitted his wife Kahina was also impacted by the ordeal(Image: Instagram/@yowissa)
“I don’t now express as much love as I used to, and when I’m walking I instinctively look behind me. And at night I can no longer get to sleep if I am by myself.
“My kids often ask me what I have done to my face, but they are too young for me to tell them what happened. I have been offered an operation. But I have refused, as this is part of my personal history.
“My wife and I have to see a psychologist and she has suffered depression. We got married soon after the incident, as you never know what fate holds in store for you.”
The woman was found guilty and sentenced to 18 years in prison. Wissa is now thriving at World Cup 2026, having joined Newcastle for £55m in 2025, and will hope to make further history with his country against Thomas Tuchel’s England.
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