Portsmouth’s Hassan Yebda and Nantes’ Djamel Abdoune are named in Algeria’s 22-man squad for a World Cup qualifier against Rwanda on 11 October.

The duo are benefiting from a Fifa rule change that allows players of any age to swap national allegiances after representing a country at junior level.

Both are French born and played at under-21 level for France but qualify for Algeria because of their parentage.

A home win for Algeria might be enough for them to qualify for the World Cup.

The qualification depends on whether closest rivals Egypt win their key tie in Zambia 24 hours earlier.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Fawzi Chaouchi (Entente Setif), Lounes Gaouaoui (ASO Chlef), Nassim Ousserir (Chabab Belouizdad)

Defenders: Yahia Anter (VfL Bochum, Germany), Reda Baabouche (Mouloudia Alger), Nadir Belhadj (Portsmouth, England), Madjid Bougherra (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland), Rafik Halliche (Nacional, Portugal), Slimane Raho (Entente Setif), Samir Zaoui (ASO Chlef)

Midfielders: Djamel Abdoune (Nantes, France), Yacine Bezzaz (Racing Strasbourg, France), Khaled Lemmouchia (Entente Setif), Mourad Meghni (Lazio, Italy), Hassan Yebda (Portsmouth, England), Karim Ziani (VfB Wolfsburg, Germany)

Strikers: Hameur Bouazza (Blackpool, England), Rafik Djebbour (AEK Athens, Greece), Abdelkader Ghezzal (Siena, Italy), Kamel Ghilas (Hull City, England), Karim Matmour (Borussia Moenchengladbach, Germany), Rafik Saifi (Lorient, France)

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