Neymar Available for 2016 Rio Olympics, Ruled Out of Copa America by Barcelona

Neymar will play for Brazil in the 2016 Rio Olympics this summer rather than the Copa America, Barcelona revealed on Wednesday.

The club released the news, with ESPN FC providing further details:   

The forward will be able to play as one of the Selecao's three permitted overage players in Rio de Janeiro, though his appearance in the competition will see him miss the start of the season with Barcelona.  

In a statement on its website, Barcelona "[expressed] its gratitude to the Brazilian Football Confederation and its president, Marco Polo del Nero, for accepting the club’s proposal" that Neymar only play in the August tournament.

It's likely the 24-year-old would have preferred to play in both showpieces. Not only is he Brazil's captain, but this year is the Copa America's centennial. And an Olympic gold is one of the few honours his national side is yet to win.

However, given how much Neymar has played for Barcelona this season—almost 4,000 minutes and counting—it was always unlikely the club would have permitted him to play in both tournaments with Brazil this summer, as he needs at least some rest after a gruelling season and ahead of another one.

As FIFA.com's Steve Feekins noted, the Selecao's Olympic squad will benefit from his presence:

Indeed, Neymar will be one of the best players in the competition—if not the best—particularly as men's football in the Olympics is reserved for under-23 players—with three exemptions for each side, hence his inclusion.

As for the Copa America, the pressure will be on Dunga's side to show they can cope without their talisman.