Newcastle United player Wissa spoke to Sky Sports about his feelings towards head coach Jaissle, representing his country in the World Cup, and other topics.

You started the season quickly, scoring consistently, and you also scored in pre-season. How good does it feel to finally find your form at Newcastle United?

It feels great. I would say I'm in good form because I feel good physically and I'm in a very good phase overall. Yes, I'm happy to be able to show it on the pitch.

I'm really happy for you, and I enjoy watching you play. I know it might not seem like much, but you were nominated for the Premier League Player of the Month. How does that feel after the difficult season you had last year?

It's incredible. To be honest, I didn't expect it to happen so quickly. I expected myself to perform well, but it came very fast. I was always training hard last season, even though I didn't get to play much at all. That's how last season went. But now I'm really happy, in good form, and hopefully I can win the award—why not? But I still need to take it step by step and focus on the games.

After the match against Tottenham, you mentioned the new head coach in a sideline interview. Could you elaborate on what he has done for you personally and how that makes you feel as a player on and off the pitch?

You know, it's really interesting because the first time I met him, I had a lot of confidence in him because he didn't even greet me—he just said, "Are you Iván?" That's how we started. Of course, after talking with him, he gave me a lot of confidence, talked about past experiences, his expectations for the future, and what he wanted me to do, especially my role. That's how we started working together, and that's the confidence he gave me because he wants me to be a leader for the team and he wants me to run my heart out for him. That's what I've been trying to do.

Your birthday is on September 3rd. Did you have any special celebrations?

No cake, nothing. After all, there was a game two days later. I had a great day, stayed home, went to a restaurant with my wife, and then went home to sleep.

How proud does it make you to be the all-time leading World Cup goalscorer for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, "Mr. Congo"?

It's truly incredible. We performed very well in that tournament, especially in games where no one expected us to. We scored goals, enjoyed the moment, and enjoyed the experience. I almost scored against England, hahaha. That game was tough for me. But I accept everything because that was me back then, and I was in particularly good form. Everything started from the World Cup and has continued until now.

What does it mean to you to represent your country on the biggest stage?

You know, to be the first goalscorer in the national team's history, I am truly, truly very proud. Especially when that song plays before the game—I don't know what you call it, the national anthem. Yes, the national anthem—that feeling is amazing. It gives me goosebumps every time because my country is part of my life. Every time I wear the national team jersey, I want to give my all on the pitch because our country is in conflict. Every time we put on the jersey, we think of them, so it's truly a great honor.

Is the World Cup a big deal in your country? Do you know that the whole nation's eyes are on you?

Of course, of course. Every time we score or win, I can see it. Even when we drew with Portugal, people ran out into the streets to celebrate, even in the rain. For them, football is everything. When we perform well, it means the world to them, and everything stops during the game. We are very proud to make them proud, and seeing those videos is truly amazing.

All the fans are incredibly happy that you've quickly found your form. How much has their support helped you? Obviously, you only played for a short time last season due to injury, and then you went through the summer. How has their support helped you so far?

You know, even before joining Newcastle, I always knew how much they loved this club and how much they wanted the players to run their hearts out for them, because that's the most important thing. Last year I was a bit angry, or rather sad, because injuries prevented me from getting into form quickly. This season, I was ready to run on the pitch and show them how happy I am here. I'm so excited to play at St. James' Park because it's one of the best stadiums in the UK and even the world. Now I feel more like myself, and the fans also know that I'm happier here and I run with passion every time.

When talking to strikers, reporters always ask at the beginning of the season: Have you set personal goals for yourself, for goals and assists? Are these things you're willing to say on camera, or will you keep them private?

Yes, they are all in my heart. Of course, I always have goals, and I even made a bet with the coach—that's private. But of course, I set goals for myself because it keeps me running, and even if I exceed the goals, I'll keep going. I always set goals for myself. I also want to do more for my family because last season was tough for them too. So now I am honored to be able to do this.

So, the League Cup against Millwall. Newcastle United has had pretty good results in this competition in recent years, reaching the final and semi-finals. As part of the team, do you feel the pressure to maintain that standard?

I think so, and it's good to have pressure—it's really good because the standard is already there. They've won the cup, so why not replicate it? Last year we reached the semi-finals, and hopefully this season we can reach the final and see what happens. But we need to take it one game at a time. Now we have a young team, and the young players are very eager to play on the pitch.

You will be playing against a Championship team, just like in the previous round, but this time away: Millwall. Their home atmosphere is notoriously fierce and intense. How do you prepare for such a knockout match?

It will be interesting to see the atmosphere there. I think we need to take it day by day now. We are looking forward to playing against them. I know a player from their team, and he told me about the atmosphere and everything there, but I think we are ready to handle this kind of game.

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