While various players who represented African nations at youth level ultimately opted to represent European sides - Presnel Kimpembe being one notable example - there are a number of talents who went in the opposite direction.

The five names profiled here are all prominent examples of players who featured for a European nation at the U-17 World Cup before representing an African nation at senior level.

Victor Moses: Perhaps the most prominent example on this list is Moses, who will take to the field for Nigeria on Saturday as the Super Eagles look to seal a World Cup ticket when they host Zambia in Uyo.

Qualification for the global showpiece in Russia would round off a remarkable year for the wideman, in which he returned to prominence at Chelsea - winning a Premier League title after starring in a right wing-back role - and dazzled as Nigeria took four points from Cameroon in the last international window.

However, once upon a time, he appeared set for an international career with England, having represented the Three Lions at the 2007 U-17 World Cup.

Nigeria fans will be hoping that the likes of Tammy Abraham, Josh Onomah, Ademola Lookman, Dominic Solanke and Fikayo Tomori can follow in Moses's footsteps and swap England's youth team for the Super Eagles.

Henri Saivet: During that same U-17 tournament in South Korea, the France team that reached the quarter finals boasted a number of talentes who would later go on and represent African nations at senior level.

One such talent was Saivet, who earned recognition as a youngster when he broke through as a right winger, terrorising defenders in advanced areas with his speed and dribbling skills.

The Bordeaux wonderkid netted twice during the competition, but after graduating to France's U-21 side, ultimately opted for Senegal at senior level.

He featured for the Lions of Teranga at the last two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, but not as a forward, after being converted to a box-to-box midfielder midway through his tenure with the Bordelais.

Alfred N'Diaye: Another player in Francois Blaquart's France squad at the 2007 edition of the tournament was N'Diaye, who would later go on to play alongside Saivet for Senegal.

The powerful midfielder - who currently represents Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Championship - has had a nomadic career, representing the likes of Sunderland, Real Betis and parent club Villarreal after making his breakthrough with Nancy.

Both N'Diaye and Saivet will hope to represent the Lions of Teranga at the World Cup in Russia next summer, with the former having been named in Aliou Cisse's squad to face Cape Verde in this weekend's qualifier.

Emerse Fae was one of the early players to capitalise on FIFA's decision to allow players to switch allegiance in 2005 when he made the decision to opt for an international future with the Ivory Coast.

He had been a part of the France side that won the U-17 title in 2001, but after opportunities to represent Les Bleus were not forthcoming, he would made his debut for the Elephants four years later.

While Fae was part of the 2006 World Cup - playing every minute of the Ivorians' first participation in the tournament - he was cut from the squad at the last minute in the 2010 and ultimately retired at 28 due to phlebitis.

Joel Kiassumbua: One of the more unlikely nationality switches in recent years came in the form of Luzern-born goalkeeper Kiassumbua, who was a member of the Swiss squad that won the U-17 World Cup in 2009.

However, that tournament was about as good as it got for the stopper in the land of his birth, although he did make a handful of appearances for Switzerland's U-18 side.

After opting for a future with the Democratic Republic of Congo - his father's country of birth - and forsaking his Swiss nationality in the process, Kiassumbua was involved in the 2017 Nations Cup but must now overtake Ley Matampi in the battle to become the long-term successor to Robert Kidiaba.