‘You are the best centre-back’ - Marquinhos reveals encouraging words to Gabriel after penalty miss

Arsenal's quest for the 2026 Champions League title ended in a dramatic penalty shootout loss to PSG in Budapest. 

Gabriel, a standout performer for Mikel Arteta's side all season, unfortunately missed his crucial spot-kick.

As the PSG squad erupted in celebration, their captain, Marquinhos, made a beeline for a distraught Gabriel. 

The PSG star prioritised consoling his Brazilian compatriot, emphasising that one mistake should not define an exceptional season.

Drawing on his own painful experience of missing a penalty for Brazil at the 2022 World Cup, the veteran defender chose to offer comfort to his international teammate before joining the festivities.

Speaking from the Brazil national team camp, Marquinhos recounted the moment and the message he delivered. 

He explained that seeing Gabriel alone after the miss instantly brought back memories of his own difficult moment on the world stage.

"I was ready and prepared to celebrate," Marquinhos told reporters. "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," he added. 

"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."