Ribéry has been described as a provocateur on the field of play, with UEFA describing him as "a crowd-pleaser – one of those rare breed of footballer capable of enjoying his talents while expressing them",[240] due to his trickery, artistry, and creativity on the ball.[2][3][241] During the 2006 World Cup, he was mentored by national team playmaker Zinedine Zidane.[242] While boasting him as "the jewel of French football", Zidane has also praised Ribéry as a person, declaring, "Franck just loves life.