Marquinhos labels Arsenal star ‘best in the world’ ahead of World Cup | OneFootball

Brazil star Marquinhos believes Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes has been the best centre-back in world football this season.

The 28-year-old was a rock alongside William Saliba at the heart of the Gunners’ backline as they secured their first Premier League title success in 22 years.

Gabriel was also instrumental in Arsenal’s run to the Champions League final, where they ended up being beaten on penalties by Marquinhos’ Paris Saint-Germain side.

After missing the crucial penalty in the shootout, Gabriel was immediately consoled by his Brazil teammate, who has revealed what he told the Arsenal star before eventually joining his PSG teammates to celebrate their second successive Champions League triumph.

“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] teammate, having empathy, because I’ve been through a moment like that and I know the responsibility.

Marquinhos shows his class with Gabriel comments

“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 currently with Brazil’s squad as they prepare for the start of their World Cup campaign in north America.