Omar Mussa

Hailing from Belgium, Mussa began his career in his homeland with Pro League giants RSC Anderlecht, spending a brief period in the youth setup where he honed his craft playing futsal and 11-a-side, before being signed by KV Mechelen at the age of 14.

Five years in the Antwerp, which included a brief stint at Pro League side Waasland Beveren, province preceded a move across Europe at the age of 18, with Mussa settling in the Midlands with Walsall after the Saddlers came to a compensation agreement with Mechelen for his services, and saw him join on a deal until the end of the 2018/19 season after spending the previous month training with Dean Keates’ squad.

The current six-time Burundi international – who has also represented Belgium at youth level – subsequently made his senior debut for the club with a three-minute cameo in a 2-1 defeat to Scunthorpe United, before dropping into the National League as he embarked on a successful career in England, joining Dover Athletic ahead of the 2020/21 campaign.

However, despite making his debut in a 3-2 win over Eastleigh a day after arriving in Kent, financial issues at the Crabble led to the Whites not playing any more matches in the 2020/21 season, the decision made in late January along with the subsequent null and voiding of all results, and limited Mussa to just eight appearances before the end of the season, with the midfielder following it up with a far more fruitful spell at Weymouth.

While technically promoted from the National League South in 2019/20, the COVID-19 pandemic meant Mussa joined up with a Terras side who embarked on their first full season at fifth tier level, appearing 34 times during a successful campaign personally, with a first career goal coming against King’s Lynn Town in October 2021, while  Weymouth manager Brian Stock described him as a player whose ability he hadn’t seen before.

Despite his form in the centre of the park at the Bob Lucas Stadium, Weymouth were relegated alongside former side Dover at the end of the 2021/22 campaign, and led to Mussa’s exit after just a single season in Dorset. A move to London brought him to Dagenham & Redbridge where he impressed across a two-year stint, contributing to successive mid-table finishes, before returning south with a switch to Torquay United, where he played 41 times in all competitions as the Gulls secured a second-place finish in the National League South.

Having played a crucial role in midfield under Paul Wotton, Mussa swiftly became a fan favourite during his stint in Devon due to his ability to produce magic, and his exit became inevitable after the Gulls fell short in the play-off semi-final at the hands of eventual winners Boreham Wood.

As such, a return to the fifth tier came through a move to Wealdstone, where was once again a regular fixture at the heart of the midfield, appearing 34 times before opting to depart Grosvenor Vale in order to pursue a new opportunity, joining Sutton ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

On the international stage, Mussa has also represented both Belgium and Burundi, the former coming at various youth levels with two caps for the Under-18s, before switching his allegiance to the latter, whom he is eligible for through his father.

The midfielder marked his initial foray into international competition for the Red Devils, making his debut at the age of 17 under Belgium Under-18s head coach Wesley Sonck, with Mussa appearing for the Red Devils in two international friendlies in 2017 with a 12-minute cameo in a 3-0 win over Republic of Ireland, before starting and playing the entire first half as they lost to Czech Republic just days later, with his role as an unused substitute in a 4-1 defeat to the Netherlands then calling time on his international career with Belgium.

He subsequently received his first call-up to the senior Burundi squad ahead of their AFCON qualifiers against in March 2023 against Kenya and Indonesia, as a result of his form for Dagenham & Redbridge. He made his senior international debut against the latter, replacing Aaron Musore with a little under half-an-hour to go as Les Hirondelles fell to a 3-1 defeat, courtesy of first half goals from Yakob Sayuri, Dendy Sulistyawan and Rizky Ridho, though Pacifique Niyongabire did notch a consolation goal at the start of the second half.

Mussa has since gone on to rack up six caps for Burundi, appearing in international friendlies and World Cup qualifiers against Cǒte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Kenya, Gabon and Chad (2).