BRASILIA, June 6 -- Brazil forward Neymar has been ruled out of the Copa America because of an ankle injury, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) said on Thursday.
The 27-year-old rolled his right ankle during Brazil's 2-0 win over Qatar in a friendly at Brasilia's Mane Garrincha stadium on Wednesday night.
"After suffering a sprain in his right ankle during last Wednesday's game against Qatar, Neymar was evaluated and subjected to tests that confirmed ligament rupture in the ankle," read a statement on the CBF's official website.
"Due to the seriousness of the injury, Neymar will not have the physical conditions and sufficient recovery time to participate in the Copa America Brasil 2019."
The setback is the latest in a series of injury problems to afflicted Neymar in the past two years.
He missed almost four months before last year's World Cup with a fractured metatarsal and was again sidelined for most of the second half of the 2018-19 season with another foot injury.
The former Barcelona and Santos player has been at the center of a media storm in recent days following the launch of a police investigation into accusations that he raped a women in a Paris hotel.
Hosts Brazil will begin their Copa America campaign against Bolivia on June 14 before also facing Peru and Venezuela in Group A.