France Football have issued an apology to Andres Iniesta with the Barcelona stalwart set to end his time at the club without having won the Ballon d'Or.

The French football magazine has been behind the prestigious award since 1956, and it is given to the best footballer of the year as voted for by football journalists.

The trophy has, predictably, been dominated by Cristiano Ronaldo and Iniesta's team-mate Lionel Messi in recent years, with the Spain international forced to take a back seat.

France Football have issued an editorial apology to Andres Iniesta ahead of his move to China

The article that appeared in France Football

Even when leading his country to World Cup glory in 2010, Iniesta was voted into second by Messi, and the magazine's editor Pascal Ferre admits it is a massive oversight that his genius has never been recognised.

In a piece titled 'Perdon, Andres', he wrote: 'He is the best game facilitator of all time.

'Most of his contemporaries complicate their lives, but he has had fun for about fifteen years, simplifying everything, without any conceited bad thoughts, just to make the game live.

'Iniesta's talent is to invent for others. Without him, Messi would have gotten tired much faster at Barca. His altruism has surely deprived him of even greater recognition.

'Among the great absences in the Golden Ball prize list, his is painful.'

Iniesta is set to leave the Nou Camp at the end of the season, with a move to China looming.

He lifted his 21st major honour with the club on Saturday when he scored in their 5-0 Copa Del Rey final victory over Sevilla.

Realising it was his last final for them, the occasion appeared to get to him, as the 33-year-old began to well up when sat on the bench following a standing ovation from all inside the Wanda Metropolitano.