Photo: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix

African player of the year for 2012 Yaya Toure - seen, left, against Stoppila Sunzu of Zambia at the last Afcon finals - will join Cote d'Ivoire's team at the 2013 finals in South Africa.

The coach of Niger, Gernot Rohr, has made his selection before the country's last three friendly games ahead of the Orange 2013 AFCON.

He has retained 26 players among who will battle to convince the coach that led Gabon to the last edition of the competition.

The Mena will confront Ethiopia on December 30 in Addis Ababa ; then the team will clash with Togo on January 5 in Niamey before taking on Burkina Faso in the last friendly game on January 10 in South Africa.

The 26

Goalkeepers: Daouda Kassaly (Chippa United/South Africa), Saminou Rabo (Sahel SC), Moussa Alzouma (AS Garde Nationale)

Defenders : Mohammed Chicoto (AS Marsa/Tunisia), Koffi Dankowa (Esperance Zarzis/Tunisia), Mohamed Soumaila (Olympic Niamey), Mohamed Bachar (AS Douane), Kourouma Fatogoma (Chabab/ Morocco), Luky James (AS Douane), Ismael Alassane, Kader Amadou (Olympic Niamey)

Midfielders : Karim Konaté (without club), Idrissa Laouali (Mangasport/Gabon), Issiakou Koudizé (AS Garde Nationale), Babacar Talatou (AmaZulu/South Africa), Williams N'Gonou (LB 07/Sweden), Souleymane Sakou (Olympic Niamey), Amadou Mountari (Le Mans/France), Ibrahim Benjamin (AS Garde Nationale), Idi Sabiou (Akokana FC), Mohamed Wonkoye (ASEC Mimosas/Ivory Coast), Issoufou Boubacar (without club)

Attackers : Moussa Maazou (Etoile du Sahel/Tunisia), Kamilou Daouda (JS Saoura/Algeria), Modibo Sidibé (without club), Issoufou Danté (Wydad Fès/Morocco)