Soccer
World Cup form reignites Wissa's desire to be the talk of the Toon
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Yoane Wissa is itching to kick-start his Newcastle career after reminding the club’s fans what he’s capable of by starring for DR Congo at the World Cup.
The striker netted three goals in Group K as Sebastien Desabre’s men picked up four points courtesy of a 1-1 draw with Portugal and a 3-1 win over Uzbekistan to book a round-of-32 showdown with England.
And Wissa, 29, is loving every minute in North America after a debut season to forget on Tyneside following a £55million switch froxm Brentford.
Having missed the first half of the campaign with a knee injury, he struggled for form and scored just three times in all competitions for Eddie Howe’s side.
But he has been back to his best on international duty and is determined to carry the upturn in fortunes into next term.
“I didn’t show my best face at Newcastle,” said Wissa. “But I knew my time would come. This time is now... I’m proud to show that I’m a good player.”
Speaking after the win over Uzbekistan, an emotional Wissa dedicated DR Congo's progress to his fellow countrymen suffering in their homeland.
He added: “It’s not easy in our country. There’s a war in East Congo. Every day, every time we wear this shirt, we think about them.
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“We came from nothing to be here. Now we write our story and we need to be proud.
“We are a proud country. Proud people. We love our country. We love our national team. We love what we represent.
“I think we showed [against Uzbekistan] what it means for us is to fight no matter what."
Having played in the Premier League since 2021, Wissa is familiar with the stars he will lock horns with tonight.
He knows the Three Lions will not be easy to tame in Atlanta but is determined to give his all once again.
The Toon striker said: "A big beast is waiting for us. But we deserve to play against England, one of the best in the world.
"It's going to be a different game. A tough, tough game against top players.”
Considering England’s defensive frailties, Wissa will relish the opportunity to inspire an upset on the biggest stage of them all.
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