France Football editor Pascal Ferre apologized to Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta for not getting this prize.

France Football is the organizer of the presentation of the football award "Golden Ball".

"What you are about to read is not exactly an editorial column. Everything was agreed by France Football some time ago, so that there were no misunderstandings. This is a tribute.

For us, Iniesta was not just a player, but a PLAYER. His nobility, team play and altruism, certainly, took away from him the opportunity for an even more sublime confession - "Golden Ball".

He proved that the brain is the most important quality of the champion. Iniesta - one of the greatest players who were not on the list of holders of the "Golden Ball". And we are hurt by this.

We just have to hope that his remarkable performance at the World Championships will correct this democratic anomaly, "wrote Ferre.

Recall from 2016, France Football and FIFA hand awards to players separately. France Football has a "Golden Ball", and FIFA named its prize The Best.