French manager Jacques Santini has been saying for months that all it needed was for the City striker to hold his hands up and he would reconsider him for the national squad.
And now, 3 months before Euro 2004, Anelka has finally stepped down.
"Those who know me, know that despite our differences I have always had the greatest respect for the French team," the 24-year-old said on his personal website on today.
"This is why I feel it is necessary to make a public apology to Mr Jacque Santini and to the French team.
"This apology allows me to put this matter behind me and to concentrate fully on football without looking back."
However, Anelka's delay in offering an apology has resulted in United's Louis Saha in jumping ahead of him in the pecking order.
After his impressive start at Old Trafford, Saha was called up and scored on his debut, so Anelka may have some work to do at City before he is offered the chance to pull on a French shirt once more.