2014 World Cup: Trio; Michael Essien, Christian Atsu and Stephen Appiah leave Ghana camp

By Ameenu Shardow

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Michael Essien, Christian Atsu and Stephen Appiah have left the Ghana camp for their various bases in Europe, GHANAsoccernet.com can confirm.

The trio will not be joining the Black Stars contingent that is expected to set off from Brazil on Saturday night to Ghana.

Essien and Atsu have chosen to join their families in England and Holland respectively while Stephen Appiah who was a member of the Black Stars' backroom staff for the 2014 World Cup has also left for an unknown destination in Europe.

The trio join Albert Adomah and Adam Kwarasey who have left the Black Stars camp since Ghana's elimination from the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

The Black Stars crashed out of the tournament after a 2-1 defeat to Portugal which saw Ghana finish bottom of Group G with just one point.

Their returns therefore mean 17 players will be making the trip back to Ghana on a chartered flight from Natal following the earlier expulsion of Sulley Muntari and Kevin-Prince Boateng.

The contingent will leave their team base in Maceio on Saturday evening to catch their chartered flight in Natal.