Brazil sees Copa test as springboard to 2014

RIO DE JANEIRO - Reigning champion Brazil will be looking beyond next month's Copa America to the World Cup it will host in 2014, coach Mano Menezes said on Monday.

The 'auriverde' will use the Copa as a springboard to what they hope will be a sixth world crown but the latter tournament will be the clear priority - even though they hope to put one over rival Argentina, which hosts the continental showpiece from July 1.

"We are going to use all the opportunities (afforded by the Copa schedule) to prepare ourselves well for the World Cup," Menezes said in Rio as the squad prepared to set off to Argentina on Tuesday in advance of its first pool meeting with Venezuela on July 3.