Gabriel forced to relive Champions League heartbreak at Ballon d’Or ceremony

Arsenal defender Gabriel was confronted with one of the most painful moments of his career at Monday’s Ballon d’Or ceremony in London, where Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane won the main award.

The 28-year-old Brazilian had to watch footage of his decisive penalty miss from the Champions League final as Paris Saint-Germain were presented with the men’s club of the year prize.

Gabriel missed Arsenal’s final attempt in the penalty shootout against Paris Saint-Germain in May. The failure cost Arsenal the trophy, which would have been the club’s first Champions League title.

The decisive shootout was played in Budapest, and highlights from the match appeared on the large screen during the ceremony. Gabriel, dressed formally and seated among the audience, was shown watching as the footage brought back memories of the final.

The moment quickly drew attention on social media, with football fans making light of the defender’s discomfort.

One person joked: “He’s trying to hold back the tears.”

Another wrote: “My brother was suffering from painful memories.”

A third added: “They are evil,” while a fourth posted: “He thought he could forget about it.”

Despite the disappointment in Hungary, Gabriel was one of Arsenal’s standout performers during the previous season, when the club won the Premier League title.

His performances earned him 21st place in the Ballon d’Or voting. He finished six positions behind his Arsenal team-mate Declan Rice.