Marquinhos reveals Gabriel text after Champions League final penalty miss
Paris St-Germain captain Marquinhos has revealed that Arsenal defender Gabriel sent him a text message to thank him for his support following his decisive penalty miss in the Champions League final.
The Parisians retained their European crown in Budapest after securing a dramatic 4-3 shootout victory.
Eberechi Eze had already failed to convert from 12 yards before the Gunners centre-back skied the decisive kick.
Instead of immediately celebrating the historic back-to-back triumph with his team-mates, the victorious skipper ran straight to his devastated compatriot.
A profound international bond
The two defensive stalwarts have forged a strong relationship while playing together for the Brazilian national team.
Speaking at a news conference, the 30-year-old explained how his international colleague reached out the following day.
“A day later, I received a message from him thanking me for that moment, for the support, for the hug, and for the words I’d shared with him.”
“I told him it had been my greatest victory that night, and that the reaction it generated was great.”
“My mum came over, proud of what I’d done, along with my wife, family and brothers.”
“It was the best accolade I received that night.”
The victorious captain emphasised that elite professionals must rapidly shift their focus to upcoming challenges.
Shared shootout heartbreak
The experienced Paris St-Germain defender is intimately familiar with the profound pain of missing on the biggest stage.
He struck the post with a crucial penalty when Brazil were knocked out of the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals by Croatia.
Using that personal experience, the tournament winner offered immediate reassurance to the crestfallen 28-year-old on the pitch.
“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.”
The French club’s leader added that he reminded his fellow defender how crucial he remains to their shared national team setup.