Arsenal’s Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain was painful enough on its own, but for Gabriel Magalhães, the night ended in the cruellest possible way.
The Brazilian defender missed the decisive penalty as PSG beat Arsenal 4-3 in the shootout after a 1-1 draw in Budapest, leaving the Gunners heartbroken after coming so close to their first Champions League title.
What happened after the final whistle, though, said a lot about football beyond trophies.
While PSG players ran off to celebrate another European triumph, captain Marquinhos went straight to Gabriel.
It was a powerful moment of respect between two Brazil teammates, and later, Marquinhos explained exactly why he did it.
Marquinhos praised Arsenal defender Gabriel
‘I was ready and prepared to celebrate,’ Marquinhos said, as reported by Metro.
‘But when I started running, I saw him right in front of me and my team going past him, the same image as after my penalty [miss] in 2022.
‘That’s when I started thinking about my [Brazil] teammate, having empathy, because I’ve been through a moment like that and I know the responsibility.
‘I told [Gabriel] to stay strong, to hold his head high because he’d had an incredible season and an incredible match.
‘I told him that, in my opinion, he was the best centre-back in the world this season. He simply didn’t deserve to carry that burden because, of course, we all want to score penalties.
‘I told him that nothing about that moment would take away from the wonderful season he’d had and that we were going to need him very much. Those were my words to him, so that he could get over that moment as quickly as possible because we were going to need him very soon here.’
Both defenders will play together at the World Cup
That final line matters because both players are now preparing for Brazil duty, and Gabriel cannot afford to carry this disappointment into the World Cup.
Marquinhos’ gesture was widely praised as a moment of leadership and sportsmanship after PSG’s win.
Marquinhos got this absolutely right. Gabriel’s penalty miss will hurt, but it should not define his season.
He was one of Arsenal’s biggest leaders, a huge reason they won the Premier League, and a major part of their run to the Champions League final.
Football can be brutal, but moments like this show its human side. Gabriel lost the final, but he also earned the respect of one of the game’s top defenders. That says plenty.
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