Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa: Friendship Goals

One of Britain’s great duos, Ant and Dec, were famously next-door neighbours, just around the corner from Gtech Community Stadium in Chiswick, as they looked to develop their on-screen chemistry and collaborate more effectively.

Also in west London, the Bees’ very own double act of Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa have done the same thing, as they look to develop their on-pitch chemistry and show that Brentford’s got talent.

Mbeumo explains: “We have a really good relationship off the pitch, he’s now living one house down from me - he just wants to be next to me all the time!"

Wissa butts in: “Of course bro, I like you! But he wants to move into a bigger house now!”

Mbeumo continues: “No, no! We are good friends, and this helps us a lot on the pitch, it’s easy with him to talk about everything.

“Because he’s living next to me, sometimes I will go to him, sometimes he will come to mine, or we’ll just hang out at a restaurant or things like that…”

Wissa: “…but Bryan has a chef so it’s difficult to get him out for dinner.”

Mbeumo: “You never want to come round when I invite you to eat at mine!”

Wissa: “No, if you want to meet Bryan in a restaurant, you have to let him know two months in advance; he needs to plan with his chef and all these things!”

Wissa adds: “We like a lot of the same things: we talk about tennis a lot, Formula 1, movies and what ones to watch. Bryan will tell me to watch something, and I’ll have in my mind him saying, ‘Watch, watch, watch!’

“I trust his recommendations. For example, he told me to watch Oppenheimer, I watched it, and it was sick, so that was good. He also said Interstellar...”

Mbeumo: “Come on, see, good recommendations!”

Whilst chat about Mbeumo’s adoration for Christopher Nolan films ends, this back and forth between the two continues.

The interview feels like it an interruption of a private debate they are having among themselves.

When a word can be squeezed in, it feels right to ask about something that is crucial to the start of any friendship: first impressions.

Wissa recalls: “The first time we met was at Saïd [Benrahma]’s birthday. I knew Saïd because I played against him in France; I had played against Bryan as well.

“I had signed my contract at Brentford and Saïd told me to come along and say hello to Bryan, who I’d be playing with at the club.

“We spoke a lot about when we were in France and Bryan told me all about Brentford as well. I remember him being happy for me... mainly because I chose the right club!”

Mbeumo gives his perspective of that day: “I could see that he was calm and very mature… but that’s completely changed since I’ve known him!”

Signing from French side Troyes in 2019, Mbeumo had been at the club for two seasons by the time Wissa joined in 2021, when he also came from France, having been at Ligue 1 outfit Lorient.

And the two of them clicked almost instantly, with Wissa leaning on Mbeumo to help him learn about the club and the country - but any advice on the English language was left to someone else.

Wissa admits: “When I joined, I asked Bryan every question. Even if it was the most random question for him, it was very important for me - things about the club, about the fans, about the players, how the team plays.

“I had come from a different country, and he had been here a few years, so I wanted to know about everything.”

Asked if Mbeumo helped him learn the new lingo, Yoane, completely deadpan, responds: “No. Bryan absolutely did not help me with my English... he is completely the wrong person to do that!

“But he helped me to know everyone, he would introduce me to everyone, you know how Bryan is, he talks to everyone so I would follow him and get to know people.”

Since then, they have played 73 games (4,291 minutes) alongside each other, combining for nine goals.

So, which of those goals or games best highlights them dueting to perfection?

Mbeumo quickly recollects: “The one against Luton when I assisted him. That highlighted both of our key abilities: I know that he loves to run into space, I played him in deep, and his finish was really, really good.

“I don’t always think a lot about where I’m going to put it; I just do it with my instinct.”

Wissa continues: “The Tottenham game was the one for me. Ivan [Toney] had just started his ban, we had a few other injuries, and I started as a striker. It’s easier to link with Bryan when I’m playing there.

“When I assisted him... sometimes we don’t need to talk, it’s just about the eyes, the Luton goal that Bryan just mentioned was the same. The Bournemouth one last season was the same - it's the eyes.

“He shows me where to go, I go, and he puts me in the right position to score.

“Whether I’m playing as a no.9 or on the left, when I turn, the only thing I know is that Bryan is going forward. Even blind, I can put the ball forward and I know he’ll be there.”

This sees the interview turn to other strike partnerships that the Bees pair admire and watch in the Premier League, past and present.

A former Liverpool trio is the focus - and with inspiration taken from an attack containing two African wingers and a Brazilian striker, that is potentially something which could be soon seen in red and white, with Wissa and Mbeumo either side of new South American centre-forward Igor Thiago.

And if the Bees’ trio can get anywhere close to the numbers that the Reds frontline did, it could be a very exciting prospect indeed.

Wissa says: “Sadio Mané and Mohamed Salah, with Roberto Firmino as the link. This is the best I’ve seen, I’m not sure about before.”

Mbeumo: “[Lionel] Messi, Neymar and [Luis] Suárez, no?”

Wissa: “They are good, but we’re focusing on the Premier League!

“I think Mané and Salah is a suitable comparison for me and Bryan; it’s been amazing to watch them.

“It’s the fact they both scored goals, they both got assists - both of them are stubborn, like us as well! But, ultimately, they want to do the best for the team.

“And it seemed as though they really pushed each other a lot, that’s what makes them better - I think one year they each scored 20+ goals! That was amazing to see.”

Wissa mentions the stubbornness that both Mané and Salah have, comparing it to him - and especially Mbeumo!

“[Bryan] is stubborn sometimes,” he says. “But we talk and it’s not about fighting, it’s about understanding each other.”

Mbeumo: “Stubborn? On the pitch or off the pitch?”

Wissa: “Both!”

Mbeumo laughs: “Both?!”

Wissa: “We do have arguments every now and then; mainly about being in the box, when either of us is in the right or wrong positions to shoot. That’s the main thing between us.

“That’s the only sort of disagreements we have on the pitch... apart from when we lose, that’s always tough.

“However, Brentford helps with our stubbornness because they make sure it’s all about the team.

“I’ll admit, last season I was p*ssed when I was subbed off because I wanted to score a hat-trick - but, at the end of the day, I was happy because we won against Luton Town, in a bit of a derby.

“You have to get that balance though.

“When Neal was here again, me and Bryan had scored, and he said, ‘Now it’s my turn!’; me and Bryan then both made sure we did our best to help him score that day too.

“Of course, we all want to score - but the best feeling is winning.”

However, playing in the same position as a team-mate will always lead to competitiveness, which is sometimes heightened in a friendship.

So, how do they deal with that desire to both play, as well as handling situations when one of them is starting and the other isn’t?

Wissa states: “We always support each other, but sometimes it’s tough when one of us wants to play when the other one is starting.

“But even though we play in the same position, we don’t feel that competition, it’s more about pushing each other.

“When we were playing a 3-5-2 and Bryan was playing in attack with Ivan, I was constantly pushing him, saying the good things to keep him going, but I was also pushing him with my training and match performances, so he had to play better.

“It was all about finding the right balance between good competition but also fighting with each other. We are also fighting with each other, but that doesn’t mean you have to hate each other!”

Mbeumo: “I’m someone who needs support and love to give my best performances. I’m really lucky to have someone like Wissa, who always wants the best for me.

“I always want to give 100 per cent but there are some times when I’m feeling down, so having someone like him who will help and push you in the right direction is brilliant to have.”

Whilst they, at times, will go head-to-head with each other, deep down, that friendship will always remain.

And, just as they both mention, they are constantly pushing one another, as well as learning, developing and bettering themselves thanks to the other.

Wissa states: “Bryan shows me how to be happy as well… although seeing him every day is not easy, he’s very loud, sometimes I have to tell him to shut his mouth!”

Mbeumo laughs and adds: “It’s similar with Wissa: it’s his positivity in almost every moment. That’s something that I maybe need to learn a bit more because I’m a very emotional person, when I’m angry, people can see it straight away.

“I’m working on that, and he helps me with it because of how positive he is.

“But we’re both happy all of the time… or at least most of the time! We want to make jokes together, silly things together - he will play pranks on me, take my sliders away!

“That’s a big part of our relationship.”

And that relationship has extended far beyond the football pitch, with Mbeumo now ‘Uncle Bryan’ to Wissa’s children, highlighting that he is now part of the family.

Wissa says: “My family are always involved in everything; if I really like someone, my son and daughter really feel that, they will like him too.

“My wife and kids love Bryan - and Vitaly [Janelt] and Frank [Onyeka] - it’s part of the journey; when I share something with someone, I want to share it with my family as well.

“It’s a big part of my journey, my family.”

Mbeumo smiles: “I’m like the uncle! I feel like Wissa’s family is my family as well; every time I see his kids, they’re really happy and I’m happy to see them.

“I see his wife as well, she’s lovely. I’m part of the family and I’m really happy about that.”

After chatting and laughing about the intricate details of their friendship, as well as all the good times and favourite memories shared together, the next question posed is about why they have such a special bond.

Wissa explains: “We just want to have a good journey together. We have a similar mindset: a football career is short and we just want to enjoy every minute.

“Even when it’s tough sometimes, we will always encourage each other to keep going and to be happy every day.

“Our friendship has been easy, to be honest. I’m French, the language really, really, really helps - that’s how it clicked really well. It’s always been easy to talk to him.

“Even in training, we love playing together and we always want to play together.

“I’m very happy when Bryan scores or assists, he’s the same with me; I’m even happier when he assists me or I assist him!

“But he is jealous of me sometimes… about everything! This morning, he came to me and said, ‘Oh your sliders are nice, I want the same!’

“But, honestly, we are both easy - that makes a difference. You could argue that it’s easy to be friends when you’re a defender and a midfielder, or a midfielder and a striker, but we’re two strikers and that’s easy for us.

“As well as that, we come from pretty much the same background and now we are both playing in Africa for DR Congo and Cameroon. I feel like that makes us enjoy this journey even more.

“Bryan is more than my team-mate, he’s my friend now.”