**[Arsenal](https://sportwitness.co.uk/category/premier-league/arsenal/) defender Gabriel Magalhães has received a remarkable vote of confidence from Brazil captain Marquinhos after the painful moment that ended the Gunners’ Champions League dream.**
The centre-back was left devastated after missing the penalty which sealed Paris Saint-Germain’s victory in the final. Images of Marquinhos abandoning his own celebrations to console his international teammate quickly became one of the defining moments of the night.
Now, speaking after joining Brazil’s squad ahead of the World Cup, the PSG captain has explained exactly what went through his mind. This happened when he saw Gabriel Magalhães standing alone.
**Marquinhos relived his own World Cup heartbreak**
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According to [**O Dia**](http://odia.ig.com.br/), Marquinhos said he was initially ready to celebrate PSG’s triumph. However, everything changed when he caught sight of Gabriel Magalhães immediately after the decisive penalty.
The defender explained that the image instantly transported him back to one of the most painful moments of his own career. This moment was Brazil’s World Cup quarter-final elimination against Croatia in 2022. At that time, Marquinhos missed the decisive penalty in the shootout.
_“I was ready to celebrate, but when I started taking my first steps running, I saw Gabi in front of me. It was exactly the same image I have from when I made my mistake at the 2022 World Cup,”_ Marquinhos said.
_“At that moment I started thinking about my teammate. I tried to have empathy for what he was feeling.”_
The scene resonated strongly in Brazil. Both players are expected to form the country’s first-choice centre-back partnership at the World Cup. Furthermore, they are among the most important figures in the national team’s defensive structure.
That context made Marquinhos’ reaction even more significant.
**“The best defender in the world”**
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The PSG captain then revealed what he told Gabriel Magalhães in the immediate aftermath of the defeat.
Marquinhos insisted the Arsenal defender should not allow one penalty miss to define a season. In fact, Gabriel Magalhães established himself among the leading centre-backs in Europe.
_“I told him to stay strong and keep his head up because he had an incredible season and an incredible game,”_ he explained.
_“In my opinion, he was the best defender in the world this season. He didn’t deserve to carry that weight on his own simply because of a penalty. Everyone wants to do their best, but sometimes we don’t manage it.”_
_“Nothing from that moment erases the season he had”_, he stated.
**Brazil already looking ahead**
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Rather than focusing solely on the Champions League final, he was already looking ahead to the World Cup. He also thought about the role Arsenal’s defender is expected to play.
_“I told him that nothing from that moment would erase the wonderful season he had and that we were going to need him a lot.”_
_“We are going to need him a lot here, and I hope he can process this as quickly as possible.”_
The PSG captain then revealed the real purpose behind the conversation.
_“Those were my words so that he could heal from that moment as quickly as possible because we were going to need him very quickly here.”_
The Champions League final may remain a painful memory for Gabriel Magalhães. Nevertheless, hearing Brazil’s captain repeatedly describe him as the world’s best defender and a player the national team urgently needs, suggests his reputation remains intact.
If anything, Marquinhos’ reaction showed how highly Gabriel Magalhães is regarded inside the Brazil camp, even after the most difficult moment of his season.