Ghana's two biggest players were sent home just hours before their crucial last match in Group G.

Sulley Muntari, the AC Milan midfielder, and Schalke midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng also had their World Cup accreditation withdrawn by the Ghana FA (GFA) last night.

The squad had been a state of rebellion over unpaid appearance fees, and Muntari was reported to have slapped a senior GFA official during a heated meeting. Boateng "verbally abused" Kwesi Appiah, the Ghana coach, according to the GFA.

A statement from the association said: "The GFA has suspended Sulley Ali Muntari indefinitely from the Black Stars with immediate effect. The decision was taken in the wake of his unprovoked physical attack on an executive committee member of the GFA and a management member of the Black Stars, Mr Moses Armah, on Tuesday 24th June, 2014 during a meeting.

"The GFA has approved coach Kwesi Appiah's decision to suspend Kevin-Prince Boateng indefinitely. The decision was taken following Boateng's vulgar verbal insults targeted at coach Kwesi Appiah during the team's training session in Maceio this week. Boateng has since shown no remorse for his actions, which has resulted in the decision."

Boateng, however, denied the allegations, saying he and Muntari had been joking around.

"The coach stopped the (training) session and sent us back to the changing room. Afterwards I went to ask what he had against me and he started yelling. He insulted me. There were words like: 'f*** off'.

"No-one should think I insulted the coach. I'm travelling now, and I wish my colleagues all the best for the match against Portugal," he said.