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Marquinhos names Arsenal star as 'the best in the world this season'
Jun 06 2026 08:22 · By Chris Davie · 58 Reads
Marquinhos has revealed what he told Gabriel Magalhaes after PSG beat Arsenal in the Champions League final (Shutterstock)
Marquinhos believes Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes has been the best centre-back in world football this season.
Gabriel played a pivotal role in Arsenal’s Premier League title success, forming a solid partnership alongside William Saliba .
The Brazil international was also instrumental in Arsenal’s run to the Champions League final where they were beaten by Paris Saint-Germain on penalties .
After missing the crucial penalty in the shootout , Gabriel was immediately consoled by his Brazil teammate Marquinhos, who has revealed what he told the Arsenal defender before joining his PSG teammates to celebrate their second successive Champions League victory.
‘I was ready and prepared to celebrate,’ Marquinhos said.
Marquinhos consoled Gabriel after his penalty miss in the Champions League final (GES Sportfoto/Getty)
‘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.’
Marquinhos and Gabriel are with Brazil’s squad as they prepare for the start of their World Cup campaign.
Brazil will play Morocco, Haiti and Scotland in Group C.