A 23-man squad has been selected by the Comoros Islands for African Nations Cup qualifiers next week including a first international outing for Ali Ahamada and Djamel Bakar.

The French-born pair had been courted by the Comoros over the last years but have only now made the commitment to play international football for the island nation.

Goalkeeper Ahmada, who has caps at under-21 level for France, plays in Turkey while Bakar, a former French junior international, is at Ligue 1 club Montpellier. He was once a promising teenage at Monaco linked with several English premier league clubs.

There are a total of 18 foreign-based players in the squad.

Goalkeepers: Ali Ahamada (Kayserispor, Turkey), Salim Ben Boina (Marseille-Consolat, France), Mahamoud Mroivili (Coin Nord).

Defenders: Kassim Abdallah (Evian Thonon Gaillard, France), Chaker Alhadhur (Caen, France), Mouhoussine Ali Ahmed (Steal Nouvel), Said Hachim (Ngaya Club), Salim Mramboini, Ibrahim Rachidi (both Marseille-Consolat, France), Benjaloud Youssouf (Orleans, France)

Midfielders: Nadjim Abdou (Millwall, England), Alhadhur Attoumane (Volcan Club), Faouz Faidine (Fomboni FC), Youssouf M’Changama (Marseille-Consolat, France), Ali M’Madi (Grenoble, France), Arkane Mohamed (Beauvais, France), Halifa-Mohamed Soulé (Beziers, France).

Forwards: Youssouf Ahamadi (Belfort, France), Djamel Bakar (Montpellier, France), El Fardou Ben Mohamed (Levadiakos, Greece), Nasser Chamed (Nimes, France), Ahmed Mogni (Paris FC, France), Mohamed Youssouf (Veria FC, Greece).