Coach Amir Abdou presented Mauritania’s 27-man team for the African Cup of Nations finals in the Ivory Coast next month.

Mauritania recalled veteran Ligue 1 player El Hadji Ba and gave teenager Oumar Ngom his first call-up.

The 30-year-old Ba, who formerly played for Racing Lens and Sunderland, was called up to the national team 18 months ago, but he was just signed by FC Nouadhibou, the Mauritanian champions, and this led to an international recall.

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Ngom, 19, has participated in two Pau games in the French second level this season.

Mauritania’s Nations Cup campaign kicks off on January 16 in Bouake against Burkina Faso. In Group D, they also face Angola and Algeria.

Aly Abeid will captain Mauritania, and their possible star player is Aboubakary Koita, a Belgian who debuted in November.

Prior to travelling to the Ivory Coast, Mauritania will play a warm-up international match against Tunisia on January 6.

Mauritania 27-Man Squad:

Goalkeepers:

Namori Diaw (Tevragh Zeina), Babacar Diop (FC Nouadhibou), Babacar Niasse (En Avant Guingamp)

Defenders:

Aly Abeid (UTA Arad), Lamine Ba (NK Varazdin), Khadim Diaw (Al Hilal), Nouh Mohamed El Abd (FC Nouadhibou), El Hassen Houeibib (Al Zawraa), Ibrahima Keita (TP Mazembe), Bakary Ndiaye (Al Quwa Al Jawiya), Mohamed Dellah Yali (Al Hedod)

Midfielders:

El Hadji Ba, Mouhsine Bodda (both FC Nouadhibou), Bakari Camara (Villefranche-Beaujolais), Sidi Ahmed Mohamed El Abd (Nouakchott Kings), Guessouma Fofana (Doxa Katokopias), Omare Gassama (Chateauroux), Abdallahi Mahmoud (Bellinzona), Oumar Ngom (Pau)

Forwards:

Souleymane Anne (KMSK Deinze), Pape Ibnou Ba (Concarneau), Amar Sidi Bouna (FC Nouadhibou), Souleymane Doukara (Magusa Turk Gucu), Aboubakar Kamara (Al Jazira), Aboubakaray Koita (St Truiden), Hemeya Tanji (Ai Ittihad Tripoli), Idrissa Thiam (Al Mesaimeer).