2026 FIFA World Cup: Newcastle United forward Yoane Wissa made history for DR Congo at the World Cup on Tuesday.

Yoane Wissa put a frustrating season at Newcastle United behind him by scoring on the biggest stage for DR Congo - outshining Cristiano Ronaldo in the process.

The 29-year-old forward is part of a DR Congo squad playing at the World Cup for the first time since 1974. Back then the side was known as Zaire and finished bottom of their World Cup group without scoring a goal.

So when Wissa headed in an equaliser for his country against Portugal at the 2026 World Cup, he made history by scoring the country’s first goal at the tournament. It also helped DR Congo secure a point with a 1-1 draw against one of the tournament favourites.

It marks a fresh turn in a whirlwind 12 months for Wissa in which he joined Newcastle from Brentford for £55million before almost immediately getting injured while on international duty with DR Congo.

That injury ruled the forward out for around three months which ultimately had a lasting impact on his debut season on Tyneside. A decision was made for Wissa not to go to the African Cup of Nations with DR Congo in order to work on his fitness at Newcastle.

While the early signs were promising shortly after his return, with goals in his first starts for the club in the Premier League, Carabao Cup and Champions League, Wissa scored no further goals and only played a peripheral role in the second half of the season.

After scoring against PSV Eindhoven for Newcastle in the Champions League back in January, the highlights of Wissa’s 2026 have almost exclusively been at international level. He helped DR Congo secure World Cup qualification with an intercontinental play-off win over Jamaica before making his mark at the tournament with an opening game goal.

While Ronaldo struggled to hit the target at one end, Wissa took his chance and posed a threat at the other.

“It's been 52 years we've never been to a World Cup so for the first time Congo will be there,” Wissa told the club website. “We played 13 games to qualify so even the old generation some of them never seen Congo in the World Cup.

“100 million people just hoping for this. You couldn't see it in the eyes that people are just like happy because for us it's really important, football more than anything.

“So to be at this level is something I really work hard and something I will never take it for granted.”