Ribery ready to rib his France friend Anelka over his fluffed penalty against United

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Being Franck: France star Ribery is ready to rib his French pal Anelka

Ribery, who burst into the limelight at the 2006 World Cup, has reached a new dimension since and promises to be one of France's most important players at the June 7-29 European Championship finals in Austria and Switzerland.

Having replaced Zinedine Zidane as France's most emblematic player, he knows youngsters in the squad such as Karim Benzema and Samir Nasri, both 20, will turn to him for advice.

"If I can help them, it will be with pleasure," the 25-year-old said. "What I have to tell them is 'don't be afraid, try things and don't put yourselves under any kind of pressure'."

Moment of truth: Chelsea's Nicolas Anelka sees his penalty beaten away by United keeper Edwin van der Sar

An explosive midfielder, Ribery, who had not started a game for France before the 2006 World Cup, now has 25 caps and has become an automatic choice for coach Raymond Domenech.

"I feel the coach trusts me more now," he said. "He talks to me more than he used to, says things to me. I can tell that he trusts me and that makes me more confident and stronger."

Ribery, coming out of his first season for Bayern Munich which ended with a domestic league and Cup double, has matured as a player but he still cannot pace himself and conserve energy.

"I'm told to do that but I just can't," he said. "It's just not my nature. When I'm on the pitch, I give it all I have. That's simply the way I am. I can't change it."

Asked about the prospect of France meeting Germany in the June 29 final, he said: "That would be special because I play in Germany but, frankly, I don't really care who we play in the final," he said.

"I just want us to get there and win it."