Marquinhos is one of the most experienced defenders to compete in a UEFA Champions League final.

The Brazilian had to help Paris Saint-Germain challenge the Premier League Champions Arsenal in what was going to be a close matchup.

Despite conceding after five minutes, PSG found the equaliser before taking the game to penalties when a winner couldn't be decided in extra-time.

The defending European Champions won the penalty shootout 4-3, and while the first thoughts for players is to celebrate, the PSG captain did something that young players can learn from.

Empathy Born From Experience

When Gabriel missed his penalty, heartbreak and guilt would have been on the mind of the Arsenal defender who sadly let his team down.

Before thinking about celebrating in front of Les Parisiens fans, Marquinhos showed some respect by consoling the fellow Brazil centre-half.

The 32-year-old knew it was right to be empathetic after experiencing a very similar moment himself in the past.

In the 2022 World Cup, Marquinhos missed the last penalty in the shootout which knocked out Brazil in the quarter-finals, leaving the defender in despair.

"I saw Gabriel standing in front of me, while my team ran past him," Marquinhos said.

"It reminded me of the moment when I missed my penalty at FIFA World Cup."

It was clear that after reminiscing a similar moment, the two-time Champions League winner had to show respect as he understood the feeling of missing such a crucial penalty.

"At that moment, I thought about my [Brazil] team-mate, and felt empathy for what he was going through," he explained.

"I know the weight of that responsibility, and I know what it feels like to be in that situation. It is part of our careers."

Why Respect Matters in Football

While Marquinhos and Gabriel are team-mates of the Brazilian national team, they were enemies for more than 120 minutes of the Champions League final.

But even through all the drama, sportsmanship must be shown, especially if you wanted to receive this in past events and that was the case for Marquinhos almost four years ago.

It was the fact he knew he could relate to Gabriel's feeling and show some support to his opponent.

"I do not know how significant that moment was for him," Marquinhos said.

"But, for me, it was truly difficult.

"Just as I would have liked to received a hug in that moment, I paused my celebration for a few minutes to go over and give him a hug."

Marquinhos continued to inspire by giving positive words to uplift his fellow Brazilian's spirit.

Something which all youth prospects should learn from, not just to console opposition but team-mates as well in any important competition.

"Nothing from that moment could erase the wonderful season that he had," the PSG captain said.

"Those were my words to him - to stay strong and keep his head up."

Turning Setbacks Into Strength

Footballers have to move on from horrific mistakes or upsets they have made in the past, allowing them to continue driving forward and not create any more obstacles.

For Gabriel, the strength of his mentality will be tested heading into the 2026 World Cup.

It will also be the same for Marquinhos as his unfortunate moment in the last significant international tournament.

However, the PSG defender has proven that his mental well-being is strong in the aftermath of the Champions League final, learning from his past experiences.

Marquinhos has influenced millions of viewers that sportsmanship is an important value to have in The Beautiful Game.