Only one footballer has received apology for not winning Ballon d'Or and Zinedine Zidane thinks he was robbed

The Ballon d'Or is the pinnacle when it comes to individual recognition for footballers and exactly one player in its history has received an apology for being overlooked.

Zinedine Zidane believed the player was robbed. Pep Guardiola adored him and counts him as one of two players who should have won the Ballon d'Or but never did. Ronaldo, who won it twice, agrees.

First won by Stanley Matthews in 1956, the eligibility criteria for the men's Ballon d'Or have changed in its 69 years.

It's awarded by the football magazine France Football and was voted for by football journalists until 2006, first for European players, then players in Europe, then as a global award.

It was, briefly, run in partnership with FIFA. National team captains and coaches had a vote for a while but now it's just journalists again.

Throughout all those years and shifting rules, France Football has only ever held the hand of apology up to one player.

As World Cup final goal-scorer Andres Iniesta prepared to leave Barcelona after 22 years in 2018, France Football's then-editor Pascal Ferre apologised in an op-ed piece cited by FourFourTwo.

"Forgive us, Andres," wrote Ferre.

"For us, he wasn’t just a player, he was the player. His sacrifices for the team ultimately deprived him of greater individual recognition.

"Of all the absences on the list of Ballon d’Or winners, his is particularly painful. We can only hope he has a special campaign at the World Cup in Russia and repair this democratic anomaly.

"He is the best facilitator of play of all time. The majority of his contemporaries make their lives complicated, but he has enjoyed himself on the pitch for 15 years, making everything simple. Without any vanity, he only thinks about bringing the play to life."

Lionel Messi pictured with the Ballon d'Or award, flanked by Andres Iniesta and Xavi (Image: Getty)

Despite the dominance of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for much of Iniesta's career, there is no doubt that the Spanish international was overlooked.

Guardiola, his most successful coach at Barcelona, said that Iniesta and midfield partner Xavi Hernandez should have been considered among the best for longer.

"Cristiano [Ronaldo] was a monster, and the father of the monster is [Lionel] Messi. And both have done something incredible in the last 15, 20 years. And maybe in that moment, Xavi and Iniesta deserved the Ballon d'Or as well," said the Manchester City boss.

Legendary Brazilian striker Ronaldo named Iniesta the best Spanish player of all time but suggested he didn't need the Ballon d'Or because of the massive pile of trophies he already has.

Zidane went a step further still, identifying 2010 as the specific year Iniesta should have picked up the golden ball.

"I only have good words for him, admiration for his football and I wish him the best as a player for the future but above all, as a person," said the former Real Madrid star player and manager.

"We're talking about someone who made everyone dream and he deserved to win the Ballon d'Or, especially in the year he won the World Cup. It was clear then that he deserved it."