Neymar May Be Rested for 2016 Rio Olympics or Copa America over Exhaustion Fears

Brazil captain Neymar may have to choose between representing his country in either the Copa America or the Olympics this summer.  

According to Sport, the Barcelona man is still unsure over whether he will be called upon for both competitions, with fears over whether the 23-year-old may feel the physical effects of too much football. “The physical exhaustion the Barcelona forward could suffer may provoke the CBF into a decision which will only see him play one of the two competitions,” it’s claimed.

As noted in the piece, Brazil’s national team coordinator Gilmar Rinaldi has confirmed to Globo it is something they will be discussing with all parties who could be affected by the congested summer.

“We are going to talk with the players and the clubs,” he said. “It’s a physical question. In the coming days Dunga will give me names of the three over-age players he proposes for the Olympics. After the qualifiers in March against Uruguay and Paraguay, we will talk personally with those players.”

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Neymar has been enjoying the finest season of his professional career to date with Barcelona. Here’s a look back at some of his standout moments from the 2015-16 campaign:

If he was forced into opting for one or the other, it’d be a very difficult decision for the Selecao man.

Typically, the Copa America is a competition that carries more prestige than the Olympics. Additionally, it’s the tournament’s 100-year anniversary and, after getting himself sent off in last summer’s edition in the group stages, thus missing the rest of the competition, Neymar may feel as though he has to make amends.

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As noted by Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated, it seems as though the organisers are already banking on the Brazil skipper being present:

However, the Olympics will be hosted in Neymar’s home country of Brazil and, understandably, taking the gold medal in this event would be extra special for the individual and for a country synonymous with the beautiful game.

Again, it’s a competition that also offers Neymar a chance to right some wrongs. The Selecao lost in the final of the 2012 edition to Mexico despite being heavy favourites, while the last major tournament held on Brazilian soil, the 2014 World Cup, saw the national team eliminated in embarrassing fashion, losing 7-1 to Germany in the semi-final.

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It’d also be a brilliant experience for some of the younger players to line up alongside the Barcelona man, as Palmeiras' Gabriel Jesus commented on recently, per Selecao Brasileira:

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Gabriel Jesus: "Playing with Neymar at the Olympics? It'd be a great pleasure, he's a craque." pic.twitter.com/wHvN7HTiMo

— Seleção Brasileira (@BrazilStats) January 20, 2016"

For Barcelona supporters, it’d be preferable to see Neymar opt for one or the other. After all, he’s been an almost ever-present for the team this campaign and carried the club through an injury crisis at the beginning of the current term. At the moment, his form is immaculate, but even the best will eventually feel the effects of constant football.

You suspect Neymar would love to participate in both. However, for the sake of his well being and the success of the club which pays his wages, it seems likely he’ll have to make a difficult choice on what tournament to prioritise.