World Cup hero aiming to dump out England almost went blind after horrific acid assault
This World Cup star nearly lost his sight in a horrific acid attack before going on to become his country’s hero as they prepare to face England
Yoane Wissa has been DR Congo’s talisman at World Cup 2026(Image: Getty)
Yoane Wissa has been a beacon for DR Congo at the World Cup as they gear up to take on England. However, the Newcastle United forward was fortunate not to lose his sight following an acid attack in 2021.
DR Congo have carved out a historic journey in North America, battling through a challenging Group K to finish third with four points. Their campaign kicked off with a 1-1 draw against Portugal, with Wissa netting the equaliser.
A narrow 1-0 loss to Colombia followed, but in a crucial final group game against Uzbekistan, Wissa emerged as the hero once again, bagging a brace in a 3-1 victory which secured their maiden entry into the World Cup knockout stage. They had only previously participated in the tournament in 1974 under the name Zaire.
The Three Lions are set to face them in the round of 32, with Wissa being their star player. But the 29-year-old’s path to the global stage hasn’t been smooth sailing, having been the victim of a horrific acid attack five years ago that necessitated emergency surgery.
On July 1, 2021, a 36-year-old woman approached Wissa’s home in northwestern France and requested an autograph from the then-FC Lorient player. He complied, but later that evening the woman, identified only as Laetitia P. in court, returned. As the door opened, she hurled a highly corrosive substance directly into Wissa’s face and eyes and attempted to abduct his newborn daughter.
He managed to stop her from taking the baby, but sustained serious chemical burns. Wissa was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery on both eyes and doctors were able to save him from permanent blindness. Remarkably, he completed an £8.5million move to Brentford just one month after the assault.
The investigation uncovered that the woman had been pretending to be pregnant and deceiving her husband. She then tried to abduct a baby to maintain the deception, targeting Wissa’s family. Just one day later, she attacked another woman with acid in a further bid to steal a child. She was traced and arrested on July 3.
In January 2025, Laetitia P. went on trial in France. Wissa travelled from England to attend the proceedings and give an emotional testimony. He told the court: “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. 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 convicted and handed an 18-year prison sentence. Wissa is now flourishing at World Cup 2026, having signed for Newcastle for £55m in 2025, and will be eager to create further history with his nation against Thomas Tuchel’s England.
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