Arsenal’s Champions League final loss to Paris Saint-Germain was painful enough on its own, but for Gabriel Magalhães, the night ended in the cruelest possible way.
The Brazilian defender missed a crucial penalty as PSG beat Arsenal 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Budapest, leaving the Gunners, who had come so close to winning their first Champions League, heartbroken.
But what happened after the final whistle said a lot about football beyond the trophy.
While PSG’s players ran off to celebrate another European victory, captain Marquinhos went straight to Gabriel.
It was a powerful moment of respect between the two Brazilian teammates, and Marquinhos later explained exactly why.
Marquinhos praises Arsenal’s Gabriel defense
“I was ready to celebrate.” Marquinhos said, as reported by Metro.
“But when I started running, I saw him in front of me and my team passing him. It was the same image I had after my penalty (miss) in 2022.”
“At that moment, I started thinking about my (Brazil) teammates and empathizing with them, because I have experienced moments like that and I know the responsibility.”
“I told (Gabriel) to be strong, to hold your head high, because he had a great season and a great game.
“I told him that, in my opinion, he is the best centre-back in the world this season. Of course, he didn’t deserve to carry that burden because everyone wants to win penalties.
“I told him that nothing about that moment was going to take away from the great season he had and that we were going to need him very much. Those were the words I told him to help him get through that moment as quickly as possible because we’re going to need him here right away.”
Both defenders will play together in the World Cup
This final line is important because both players are currently preparing for the match against Brazil and Gabriel cannot afford to carry this disappointment into the World Cup.
After PSG’s victory, Marquinhos’ gesture was widely praised as a moment of leadership and sportsmanship.
Marquinhos got this completely right. Gabriel’s penalty miss will hurt, but it shouldn’t define his season.
He is one of Arsenal’s biggest leaders and was a big reason why Arsenal won the Premier League and was instrumental in helping them reach the Champions League final.
Football can be brutal, but moments like this show the human side. Although Gabriel lost in the final, he also earned the respect of one of the game’s top defenders. That’s enough to say.
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