Everton have released a series of photographs showing Senegal pair Idrissa Gueye and Iliman Ndiaye being given a hero’s welcome back at the club’s Finch Farm training complex on Friday after helping their country to win the Africa Cup of Nations. Although Gueye previously lifted the trophy in 2022 it was during his time at Paris Saint-Germain.

The only previous occasion that a current Blues player won a continental title in international football while at the club was when Richarlison triumphed with Brazil at the 2019 edition of Copa America and he also won a gold medal in the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021. Daniel Amokachi won the Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria in 1994 before joining Everton later that year while Blues left-back Ray Wilson was a member of England’s 1966 World Cup-winning side with Alan Ball joining him at Goodison Park in a transfer from Blackpool less than a month after Alf Ramsey’s team defeated West Germany 4-2 after extra time at Wembley Stadium.

Gueye and Ndiaye are shown being greeted by team-mates and staff members alike and being given a guard of honour before joining the rest of the first team squad for...