Rio 2016: Neymar and Douglas Costa included in Brazil's Olympic squad

Santos’ Gabriel Barbosa and Paris Saint-Germain defender Marquinhos were also included

Neymar was left out of Brazil's Copa America squad

Neymar and Douglas Costa have been included in Brazil’s 18-man squad for the Rio Olympics this summer.

The two forwards were included alongside Palmeiras’ Fernando Prass as the squad’s three permitted over-age players.

Under 20s-coach Rogerio Micale will manage the side after former boss Dunga was sacked in the wake of Brazil’s Copa America exit.

The team also includes Gabriel Barbosa, the 19-year-old Santos player who scored on his Brazil debut against Uruguay last March, and Paris Saint-Germain defender Marquinhos.

Barcelona superstar Neymar was left out of Brazil’s Copa America squad – which failed to deliver at this year’s tournament – in favour of the Olympic Games.

Five-time world champions Brazil have never won the Olympic tournament before. Neymar will be central to their efforts in the summer after the disappointment of their 2012 campaign in which they lost to Mexico in the gold-medal match in London.

Micale has said he will hope to build a strong relationship with the player in the coming weeks.

"I will get to know Neymar, eye to eye with him. More than a global star and an extremely successful athlete, he is a human, a man with feelings and reactions like any of us," Micale said.


 Gabriel Barbosa scored six goals in four games for the under-23 side last year 
 (Getty)

"So the conversation will be of one human to another, man to man. I will respect him and I'm certain that he will respect the situation.

“Afterward let’s build a work relationship, and it will be the best possible because it will be very transparent. Where there is no transparency there is disagreement."

The Olympics boss has also made it clear that his squad was not influenced by the former boss, Dunga, or current manager Tite.

“"In relation to Dunga's legacy, their existed work in tandem,” he said. “But from the moment I assumed the Olympic team the autonomy to call up players passed to me.

"I spoke to Tite. I welcomed him and now there is additional work. Now, I'd really like to say that I will count a lot on Tite along with my work. He has much to add. He's the current Brazilian champion and has free reign."

The Squad:

Goalkeepers: Fernando Prass (Palmeira), Uilson (Atletico Mineiro).

Defenders: Marquinhos (PSG), Luan (Vasco da Gama), Rodrigo Caio (Sao Paulo), Zeca (Santos), William (Internacional), Douglas Santos (Atletico Mineiro).

Midfielders: Thiago Maia (Santos), Rodrigo Dourado (Internacional), Fred (Shakhtar Donetsk), Rafinha (Barcelona), Felipe Anderson (Lazio).

Forwards: Neymar (Barcelona), Douglas Costa (Bayern Munich), Gabriel Jesus (Palmeiras), Gabriel Barbosa (Santos), Luan (Gremio).