Thierry Henry expressed doubt about why Gabriel took the fifth penalty kick before missing, causing Arsenal to lose the UEFA Champions League title.
On 31 May 2026, after Arsenal lost to Paris Saint-Germain 3-4 on penalties (following a 1-1 draw after 120 minutes) in the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League final.
Thierry Henry, former Arsenal striker who is now a football analyst on television, wondered why Gabriel, the key defender, was assigned to take the fifth and final penalty kick before missing it.
Henry said, "I always say this: when you go to take a penalty, I will always respect you. But I don’t understand why he was chosen as the fifth taker, yet in the end, he stepped up to take the penalty."
"Throughout the season, he played very well, and in the final, he was excellent. Yet he missed the penalty. The important thing is, Gabriel was never afraid to take on this responsibility."