Barcelona forward Neymar has expressed his wish to represent Brazil at the Rio Olympics in August, national team coordinator Gilmar Rinaldi said.
"Neymar wants to play," Rinaldi was quoted as saying on Monday by the Folha de S.Paulo newspaper, Xinhua news agency reported.
It is understood the Catalan giants are loath to release the 23-year-old for the quadrennial tournament, which will come less than six weeks after the centenary edition of the Copa America in the US.
"We have said that we want to work with the clubs to talk about how the players are physically and technically. We still haven't made any requests to the clubs."
Under Olympic rules, competing teams may include up to three players over the age of 23 in their squads.
It is understood Brazil hopes to select Neymar, Willian (Chelsea) and Miranda (Inter Milan).
The Olympic football tournament will be played from August 4 to 20.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
