Yoane Wissa has admitted he did not show his 'best face' at Newcastle United so far but insisted he always believed he would prove his worth at the World Cup. The 29-year-old forward managed just three goals in an injury-ravaged first season on Tyneside after joining the Magpies in a £55million move from Brentford last summer.
World Cup Success
However, Wissa has looked the sharpest he has been since that move during this summer's World Cup, scoring three goals in as many games to inspire DR Congo to qualify for the knockout stages for the first time in their history. Their prize is a clash with England in the last 32 on Wednesday in Atlanta.
Wissa admitted defying his first season struggles to perform on the world's biggest stage has filled him with pride. "That's why I'm even prouder than everyone else in this room," Wissa told AFP on his battle with injuries during his first season at Newcastle. "I didn't show my best face at Newcastle, but I knew that my time would come. This time is now. I just show to everyone now I'm in a good place. I'm good physically, I'm good mentally."
Dedication to DR Congo
Wissa scored twice in the early hours of Sunday morning to help DR Congo beat Uzbekistan 3-1 and he was keen to dedicate the win to the people of DR Congo and those fighting in the war in East Congo. "We are a proud country. We are proud people. We love our country. We love our national team. We love what we represent!" Wissa added. "I think tonight we just showed that what it means for us is just to fight no matter what.
"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. That's why tonight, what we show is just to say that guys, no matter what, we need to keep going. Because we want peace and for them, I just say 'thank you'. Thank you because we came from far. We came from nothing to be here. Now we write our story with a black pen and we need to be proud."
Looking Ahead
Wissa said: "So that's why I'm proud today to show that I'm a good player. I'm happy with what we accomplished. Now there's another path waiting for us. A big beast is waiting for us. We need to enjoy this kind of game. We deserve to play against England, one of the best in the world. I'm looking forward to what's coming next."
