Pizzi believes Messi is 'most important player in history'

Juan Antonio Pizzi knows that he must replicate Jorge Sampaoli's tactics when Chile takes on Argentina in the final of the Copa America Centenario.

In the final of last year's Copa America, Sampaoli produced a tactical magnum opus, limiting Lionel Messi's impact on the pitch by moving Gary Medel to the left to restrict the Argentinian phenom's space and using Charles Aranguiz in a defensive role to isolate the native of Rosario, Argentina.

Just how Pizzi tries to restrict Messi's influence at MetLife Stadium on Sunday remains to be seen, but the Argentinian manager knows who Chile is going up against and that something needs to be done.

"I believe we're going up against the most important player in history," Pizzi said, according to Tom Marshall of ESPN FC. "It is unlikely that we will see someone break his records, but even so, we believe we can beat (Argentina)."

While Pizzi's praise feels like just another round of applause for Messi, the manager must surely realise that how Chile takes the pitch in the final of the Copa America Centenario may have a defining effect on the player, who is still in search of his first international prize at the age of 29, and whose generation is running short of time to enter the Pantheon of football.