Florent Malouda hailed team-mate Zinedine Zidane after France beat Portugal 1-0 in Munich to set up a World Cup final showdown with Italy in Berlin on Sunday.
Zidane, who sealed victory with a first-half penalty, will retire after Sunday's match with the Azzurri at the Olympic stadium but Malouda believes that the 34-year-old playmaker remains instrumental to his side's fortunes.
"Zizou (Zidane) is the man who shows us all how to play," Malouda said. "He is our decisive player and our leader. When he plays well, the team plays well, and that is all I can say about him."