Brazil have named a strong London Olympics football squad filled with attacking stars including Neymar, Hulk and Alexandre Pato.

Coach Mano Menezes has selected Porto striker Hulk alongside AC Milan's Thiago Silva and Real Madrid left-back Marcelo as his three over-age players for the 2012 Games.

But it is the attacking threat that will concern most opposition teams with some of the world's leading forwards named in the squad.

Santos' Neymar has scored nine goals in 18 games for the senior Brazil team, while Hulk and AC Milan's Pato have also impressed for the full side.

Young Premier League players Rafael, of Manchester United, and Tottenham midfielder Sandro have also been included.

Following defeats against Mexico and Argentina in warm-up games last month, Menezes identified a problem in finding effective defensive players under 23 years old and has turned to two more experienced men in Silva and Marcelo.

Brazil lost 2-0 to Mexico and 4-3 to Argentina but Menezes says he does not think the problems experienced in those games will continue at the Games.

"I don't think the issues that arose against Argentina will be repeated with such frequency as they did in that game, because Messi won't be at the Olympics," he said.

"We won't face a player who picks up the ball in midfield and destroys defensive systems individually and finishes in the way he does."

Brazil, top seeds in Group C and seeking their first Olympic football gold medal, kick off against Egypt on July 26, before playing Belarus on July 29 and New Zealand on Aug 1.

They play a final warm-up game against Team GB at Middlesbrough's Riverside Stadium on July 20.

Brazil squad:

Rafael Cabral (Santos), Neto (Fiorentina); Alex Sandro (Porto), Marcelo (Real Madrid), Rafael (Manchester United), Danilo (Porto), Thiago Silva (AC Milan), Bruno Uvini (Sao Paulo), Juan (Inter Milan); Sandro (Tottenham), Romulo (Spartak Moscow), Paulo Henrique Ganso (Santos), Oscar (Internacional), Lucas Moura (Sao Paulo); Neymar (Santos), Leandro Damiao (International), Alexandre Pato (AC Milan), Hulk (Porto).

-Telegraph Sports

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk