Ireland can qualify for the quarter-finals with a match to spare if they beat Italy on Sunday and named their strongest line-up as they seek to progress to a group decider against France.
Italy have really struggled without Parisse, only narrowly beating Canada last time out, and they must upset the odds against the Six Nations champions to avoid being eliminated from the tournament.
But O'Connell said none of that mattered with the talismanic number eight fit to play his first game in the tournament, likening the 110-capped Parisse to former team mate Brian O'Driscoll in how he can make a team believe in themselves.
"We've looked at him a lot during the week, we kind of guessed he was going to be back. He'll be a big galvanising force for them," O'Connell told a news conference at London's Olympic Stadium.
"He has everything -- he catches high balls, he chases high balls, he chips, he makes turnovers on the ground, intercepts, he's a phenomenal carrier, has great footwork, he's a brilliant passer, he pressurises the referees. He does it all.
"He's right up there with any of the great players I've played against."
Like Parisse, Irish centre Robbie Henshaw also belatedly joins the tournament and will partner Keith Earls in midfield -- the seventh different combination Ireland have used in seven games - though most were in warm-up games designed to test such scenarios.
Well-acquainted with the Italian game plan from their annual Six Nations tussles, Ireland know the pressure will come up front rather than behind the scrum as they face their first serious test of the competition after easy wins over Canada and Romania.
"I've no doubt we will be battered up front and pushed to the limit, they're always physical games against Italy. Do we need it? I don't know if we need it but we certainly expect to get it," O'Connell said.
(Editing by Ed Osmond)
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