Paris Saint-Germain captain Marquinhos has revealed why he put his own title celebrations on hold to console Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhães following the Brazilian defender’s costly penalty miss in the 2026 UEFA Champions League final.
In a moment that transcended the fierce rivalry between the two clubs, Marquinhos rushed to embrace his compatriot after Gabriel’s spot-kick sailed over the crossbar, sealing PSG’s 4–3 shootout victory. The match in Budapest had ended 1–1 after extra time.
Speaking to PSG’s official website, the veteran centre-back traced his gesture back to his own haunting memory from the 2022 World Cup, when his missed penalty against Croatia sent Brazil crashing out.
“The second he missed, I felt exactly what was going through his head,” Marquinhos said. “It brought me right back to my own miss against Croatia – that same crushing weight, that same responsibility. I’ve lived it. I know how brutal that moment is.”
He continued: “Gabriel had given everything for Arsenal this season. He carried the dream of that trophy, and in one kick, he felt it slip away – knowing that his miss meant we became champions. That’s an unbearable load.”
Marquinhos explained that he deliberately stepped away from PSG’s wild celebrations to find Gabriel. “I wanted to set aside a few minutes just for him – to hug him, to tell him he’d come back stronger. I said, ‘I’ve been where you are now, and you will get through this.’”
The PSG defender was also eager to put the miss into perspective. “Gabriel has had an incredible season. He’s proved he’s among the world’s best defenders. He didn’t deserve to have the whole defeat pinned on that one moment. And Brazil needs him for the World Cup. I just wanted him to know how much we value him – and to congratulate him on everything else he’s achieved this year.”
