Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani said Saturday it would be a special feeling to play at the Maracana stadium in the team's final Copa America Group C clash with Chile on Monday.
One of Uruguay's most famous victories - a title-clinching triumph over Brazil at the 1950 World Cup - came at the Maracana and the venue has acquired almost mythical status for the country's football fans.
"When we talk about the Maracana, it gives us a special feeling," the Paris Saint-Germain player told reporters. "The young players of today might not understand the significance but we know how important that moment was. It's incredible to be able to play at this stadium wearing a Uruguay shirt."
Uruguay are currently second in Group C with a win and a draw so far, two points behind Chile. Both sides will progress to the last 16 regardless of Monday's result but Cavani dismissed suggestions that either team would take the match lightly.
And he opted not to criticize the condition of the pitches at this Copa America, unlike his striker partner Luis Suarez, who said Friday that heavy and uneven playing surfaces have impacted the quality of football.
"The state of the pitch is the same for both teams," he said. "I don't know how much better the team can be with improved turf quality. We are playing at top venues with good pitches. It's the same for everybody."