The empathetic rival who hurried to comfort Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes after he missed his penalty in the Champions League final has disclosed the message the centre-back sent him afterwards.
Paris Saint-Germain captain, Marquinhos rushed over to give Gabriel a hug shortly after his spot-kick blazed over the bar.
The two Brazilian teammates shared a heartfelt moment that demonstrated the sport’s camaraderie even in its most hostile context.
And now Marquinhos has explained what it meant to Gabriel in a press appearance before the World Cup.
Marquinhos Reveals What Gabriel Told Him
According to the Daily Mail, he said: “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 [hugging him], 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.
“Players have to move on to the next challenge very quickly. I can’t keep celebrating forever; we’ve got other things to do, and so does he.’
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He also revealed what he said to Gabriel during their hug.
“I was ready and prepared to celebrate,” Marquinhos said.
“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] team-mate, 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.”
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