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Five things to know about Cup of Nations finalists Algeria, Senegal

Five things to know about each of the Africa Cup of Nations finalists, Algeria and Senegal:

(From up L) Senegal’s goalkeeper Alfred Gomis, Senegal’s defender Lamine Gassama, Senegal’s midfielder Badou Ndiaye, Senegal’s defender Kalidou Koulibaly, Senegal’s forward M’baye Diagne, Senegal’s defender Cheikhou Kouyate (From down L) Senegal’s defender Youssouf Sabaly, Senegal’s midfielder Krepin Diatta, Senegal’s midfielder Henri Saivet, Senegal’s midfielder Idrissa Gueye, Senegal’s forward Sadio Mane pose for a photograph prior to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) Semi-final football match between Senegal and Tunisia at the 30 June stadium in Cairo on July 14, 2019. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP)

Five things to know about each of the Africa Cup of Nations finalists, Algeria and Senegal:

Algeria
— Captain and winger Riyad Mahrez from Manchester City is the only Premier League representative. The other England-based Algerian, midfielder Adlene Guedioura, is with second-tier Nottingham Forest.

— There are seven France-based players, including defenders Ramy Bensebaini and Mehdi Zeffane from Rennes, and three each from Italy and Saudi Arabia.

— Guedioura is the oldest player in the squad at 33 and Hicham Boudaoui, the only Algeria-based footballer, the youngest at 19.

— Algeria have appeared in two previous Cup of Nations finals, both against Nigeria. They were hammered 3-0 in Lagos in 1980 and won 1-0 in Algiers 10 years later.

— Many African national teams choose an animal to be part of their nickname and Algeria opted for the fox with the national team known as the Desert Foxes.

Senegal
— Captain and defender Cheikhou Kouyate (Crystal Palace), midfielder Idrissa Gueye (Everton) and star forward Sadio Mane (Liverpool) play in the Premier League.

— There are eight France-based players in the squad, including goalkeeper Abdoulaye Diallo and forwards Mbaye Niang and Ismaila Sarr from Rennes.

— Defender Saliou Ciss from French second-tier club Valenciennes is the oldest player at 30 and forward Krepin Diatta from Club Brugge the youngest at 20.

— This will be the second final appearance by Senegal after losing on penalties to Cameroon in 2002 having drawn 0-0 after extra time in Bamako.

— The national team are known as the Teranga Lions. Teranga means hospitality or welcoming generosity in Wolof, the most widely spoken language in the west African country.

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