Arsenal came agonizingly close to winning the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League title but fell to Paris Saint-Germain in a penalty shootout in the final after misses from Eberechi Eze and Gabriel Magalhaes. Following the match, Declan Rice voiced his support for both players.
“We love them and we are with them,” the England midfielder said in a post-match interview with TNT, backing the two teammates who failed to convert their penalties. “Without them we wouldn’t have won the Premier League.”
Eze was Arsenal’s second penalty taker at a time when PSG held a 2-1 advantage in the shootout. He paused in his run-up, hoping to force goalkeeper Matvey Safonov into an early movement that never came. Faced with that situation, he sent his effort wide of the target.
Magalhaes‘ miss was even more dramatic. The Brazilian defender stepped up to take Arsenal’s fifth penalty, knowing he had to score to keep his team’s hopes alive. Attempting to strike the ball with power, Gabriel sent his shot over the crossbar.
Gabriel of Arsenal looks dejected as he walks past the UEFA Champions League trophy.
“It’s a lottery on penalties. We win together and we lose together,” Rice said. “It happens in football. They won’t be the last players to miss penalties in finals, and without those two we wouldn’t have won the Premier League.” He concluded with a positive message: “Incredible season and given it absolutely everything. I’m so proud of the boys. We will be back.”
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Arsenal fall short of becoming 12th undefeated Champions League winner after loss to PSG
Eze and Magalhaes must move on quickly
Rice is right to highlight the contributions both players made to Arsenal‘s Premier League title-winning campaign. Eberechi Eze was a key figure for Mikel Arteta‘s side throughout the season, recording 10 goals and six assists across all competitions. Gabriel Magalhaes, meanwhile, formed a formidable center-back partnership with William Saliba while contributing four goals and five assists in 51 appearances.
Now both players will have to recover from the disappointment and quickly shift their focus to what will likely be the biggest challenge of their professional careers: the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Eze was included among the 26 players selected by Thomas Tuchel to represent England, a decision that generated debate given the competition for places from stars who ultimately missed out, including Phil Foden and Cole Palmer. Magalhaes will also be at the 2026 World Cup with Brazil, where he is expected to partner Marquinhos in central defense—the same Marquinhos who was his opponent with PSG on Saturday.
