In a powerful display of solidarity, ArsenalTeam·Arsenal supporters have driven a 350% increase in sales of defender GabrielPlayer·Gabriel's personalised shirts, following his decisive penalty miss in the UEFA Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League final. The Brazilian's jersey became the top-selling name over the weekend, briefly doubling the sales of all other shirts combined, according to reports.
The incident occurred on Saturday, May 30, 2026, in BudapestVenue·Budapest, during the highly anticipated Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League final between ArsenalTeam·Arsenal and Paris Saint-GermainTeam·Paris Saint-Germain. The match concluded in a 1-1 draw after extra time, leading to a tense penalty shootout. GabrielPlayer·Gabriel, stepping up for ArsenalTeam·Arsenal's fifth penalty with the team needing to score to remain in contention, sent his effort over the crossbar. This miss sealed a 4-3 penalty shootout defeat for the Gunners, with teammate Eberechi EzePlayer·Eberechi Eze also missing his spot-kick earlier in the sequence.
Despite the heartbreak of the Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League final, the outpouring of support for GabrielPlayer·Gabriel underscores the strong bond between the player and the ArsenalTeam·Arsenal fanbase. The defender himself acknowledged the difficulty of the moment, posting a heartfelt message on social media after the defeat.
"It was painful," Gabriel stated, reflecting on the final, "but I am so proud of our 2025/26 season and thankful for the supporters."
Teammate Declan RicePlayer·Declan Rice also offered a robust defence of both GabrielPlayer·Gabriel and Eberechi EzePlayer·Eberechi Eze in an interview with TNT Sports. "They are devastated to miss a penalty in the Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League final. It is not nice. But we love them, we are with them, and that happens in football," Rice affirmed. "They are not going to be the last players to miss penalties in finals. Everyone has missed a penalty, and without those two this season, we wouldn't have won the Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League, that is for sure. I've run out of words for GabrielPlayer·Gabriel, as a person, as a player. Eze as well. The crucial goals he has come up with this year. It is cruel, but it's football."
The Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League final marked ArsenalTeam·Arsenal's first appearance in the competition's showpiece event since 2006 and only their second in history. Their journey to BudapestVenue·Budapest was impressive, featuring an unbeaten run through 14 consecutive matches in the competition, including winning all eight of their league phase games. While the European trophy eluded them, ArsenalTeam·Arsenal celebrated a highly successful 2025/26 season by securing their first Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League title in 22 years, finishing with 85 points. This domestic triumph ensures their qualification for the 2026/27 Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League. The team's Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League victory was celebrated with a parade in north London, attended by up to one million fans, shortly after the final in BudapestVenue·Budapest.
Arsenal's Gabriel reacts after missing a penalty in the Champions League final shootout. Photo: Yigit Örme/IMAGO
Yigit Örme/IMAGOThis article was generated by AI (gemini-2.5-flash). Learn more.
