MUNICH, Germany -- Franck Ribery is upstaging some of France's biggest stars with the way he plays, and the way he looks.

Ribery ran tirelessly up and down the right wing in Wednesday's 1-0 semifinal victory over Portugal, doing the dirty work. Zinedine Zidane may have coolly struck the winning penalty kick against the Portuguese, but the Marseille player was getting a lot of the credit.

"His head never goes down, he tries and tries again until it works," striker Thierry Henry said. "He thinks only of what he can bring to the team. He does not play for himself."

In the France dressing room, the 23-year-old's jersey is hung alongside Zidane's and that of goalkeeper Fabien Barthez. That is testimony to a player who's had it rough.

A deep, thick scar across his forehead tells you things have seldom been easy for Ribery.

Ribery has been disfigured since he was 2 years old, the result of a car crash with his father that sent the young Ribery hurling into the car's windshield. The scar in unmistakable, even from 20 yards.

Though he's now earning big money, he's turned down plastic surgery to soften the scar and others; he has some nasty ones on the right side of his face, too. He's also declined offers to straighten his crooked teeth and a broken nose.

"The scars are nothing to be ashamed of," he said.

Few players were happier than Ribery after Wednesday's victory.

"I'm on another planet," Ribery said. "It hasn't sunk in yet. It's enormous. It's brilliant. It's fabulous. Pure happiness."

His scampering running style, coupled with a low center of gravity, makes Ribery look awkward. But he is deceptively fast, rides tackles well, and is difficult to knock off the ball. His quick feet pierce through tight marking.

Those qualities prompted France coach Raymond Domenech to pick him, though Ribery had no international experience and has never played a Champions League match.

"He is useful, to give what the older players can't give," Domenech said. "It's important to create a balance between the old, the young."

Domenech's gamble on the French league's Young Player of the Year looks increasingly shrewd.

After a patchy start against Switzerland in France's World Cup opener -- a match in which Ribery acknowledged he was frozen with nerves -- he was dropped against South Korea, but returned to face Togo in a must-win final Group G game.

He botched a couple of easy chances way over the bar, but set up the opening goal for Patrick Vieira with a clever change of direction, allowing him to fool a defender.

Against Spain in the second round, France was trailing until Ribery latched onto a pass from Vieira, zoomed upfield and rounded goalkeeper Iker Casillas to equalize.

On Wednesday, Portugal goalkeeper Ricardo Pereira did well to keep out Ribery's swirling long-range shot.

With about 20 minutes remaining, Ribery jogged off to be replaced by Sidney Govou. And who was there to greet him?

As Ribery left the field, Zidane patted him on the back and stuck out the palm of his hand, which Ribery slapped in response.

Job well done. Now bring on Italy in Sunday's title game.