Brazil forward Neymar has been ruled out of the Copa America with an ankle ligament injury.

The 27-year-old suffered the setback in the first half of the Selecao’s 2-0 friendly win over Qatar on Wednesday.

‘After suffering a sprain in his right ankle during last Wednesday’s game against Qatar, Neymar was evaluated and subjected to complementary imaging tests that confirmed ligament rupture in the ankle,’ a statement on www.cbf.com read.

‘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 Paris St Germain star left the field at the Estadio Nacional visibly upset, and was later seen leaving the ground on crutches.

Neymar has picked up several injuries dating back to 2014, when he missed the World Cup semi-final against Germany with a back injury.

The former Barcelona forward also injured his metatarsal in the months leading up to the 2018 World Cup, and missed the final months of the current Ligue 1 season with a similar problem.

Hosts Brazil kick off the Copa America on 14 June against Bolivia, with the final set to be played on 7 July at the Maracana in Rio.