2026 UEFA Champions League final player ratings – Gabriel superb despite heart-breaking penalty miss for Arsenal as PSG stars shine

Here are our player ratings from a dramatic night in Budapest.

David Raya – 7 – Dragged Arsenal back into the shoot-out with a good stop from Nuno Mendes, while he pounced at the feet of substitute Bradley Barcola late in normal time.

Cristhian Mosquera – 5 – Supposedly the weak link after Jurrien Timber was only fit enough for the bench... and so it eventually proved. A harsh assessment, perhaps, after his supreme work shutting out Khvicha Kvaratskhelia for the opening hour, but his clumsy challenge on the Georgian handed PSG a route back into the game.

William Saliba – 5 – Was bailed out by teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly in the second half and looked uncomfortable when defensive partner Gabriel ventured up the pitch. Did enough to put Barcola off as he threatened a last-gasp winner.

Gabriel – 8 – Football is so cruel. His dejection will be plastered across the front and back pages, but he did not deserve to be on the losing side after a succession of superb blocks and challenges. It will count for little, but this was one of his greatest performances in an Arsenal shirt.

Piero Hincapie – 7 – Struggled to sort his feet out at the end of the first half and gifted an opening to Fabian Ruiz, but otherwise very solid.

Declan Rice – 8 – On the eve of the final, Martin Keown claimed Rice needed to have "the game of his life" if Arsenal were to win the trophy. That did not quite happen, owing to a surprisingly sluggish performance from the opposition, but he put in a terrific shift, was Arsenal's chief organiser and looks a future captain for sure.

Myles Lewis-Skelly – 8 – Too late for a World Cup call-up? In his new role in central midfield, the 19-year-old looked at home against one of the great midfield trios in the modern game. It was his intervention that spared Saliba's blushes in the second half, diverting Kvaratskhelia's shot onto the post, and recovered magnificently to halt Doue after a rare error. A superb display.

Bukayo Saka – 6 – Very fortunate to not concede a penalty after a swing-and-miss resulted in a double handball inside his own box. That aside, worked well with Mosquera to tame Kvaratskhelia, but will rue not taking advantage of a couple openings before being withdrawn.

Martin Odegaard – 5 – It is illustrative of Arsenal's progress that their once talisman was withdrawn early in Budapest.

Leandro Trossard – 7 – Created the opener, albeit fortuitously, and put in a terrific defensive shift.

Kai Havertz – 7 – Fired a wonderful opener after initially appearing to go too wide. Should have pulled the trigger earlier when another opening arrived in first-half injury time. Tormented Marquinos, particularly in the first half.

Viktor Gyokeres – 6 – After a slow start off the bench, got the home fans going again with a late effort, then fired home from the spot.

Jurrien Timber – 6 – Helped shore up the Arsenal backline, just as Kvaratskhelia threatened to cause havoc.

Gabriel Martinelli – 6 – Blew a huge chance on the counter-attack after a miscue from Nuno Mendes. Otherwise picked up defensively where Trossard left off and scored a pressure pen.

Noni Madueke – 7 – On another day, we would be toasting his role in Arsenal winning a late spot kick. Looked sharp after replacing Saka.

Eberechi Eze – 5 – Fair play to anyone stepping up in a penalty shoot-out, let alone in a Champions League final, but he stuttered... and stuttered... and stuttered... all while Safanov refused to blink. A horrible end to a solid debut season.

Martin Zubimendi – 6 – Came on for Lewis-Skelly in extra time and acquitted himself well alongside Rice.

Matvey Safonov – 5 – Would Gianluigi Donnarumma have saved Havertz's opener? Ultimately, it does not matter. Refused to crack as Eze dawdled from the spot and made some important clearances.

Achraf Hakimi – 5 – Fluffed a first-time delivery late in the first half after a rare gap appeared. Otherwise on the periphery, but scored his penalty.

Marquinhos – 5 – Got in a complete muddle for the opening goal. When a captain starts a game like that, it filters through the whole team. Really struggled with Havertz, who is hardly known for his strength and hold-up play, but improved after the break.

Willian Pacho – 8 – A couple of errors aside, this was a very composed display. A brilliant defender.

Nuno Mendes – 5 – Invited Arsenal back into the shoot-out with a poor spot kick, while he was perhaps fortunate to not concede a penalty after his collision with Madueke.

Joao Neves – 8 – Was the one making PSG tick early on before Vitinha took over. Looked the most likely to make something happen out of PSG's midfield trio.

Vitinha – 7 – Player of the match? Really? He was happy to conduct the orchestra, but how many of his touches were meaningful against a team happy for him to spray the ball left, then right, then left again? Grazed the bar with a late effort in the second half after superb work from Doue.

Fabian Ruiz – 6 – Not too much to shout about before being replaced by Warren Zaire-Emery.

Desire Doue – 8 – PSG's most dangerous player and created a huge late opening for Vitinha in regulation time. Scored a good penalty, too.

Ousmane Dembele – 6 – Spent much of the match on the right flank, undoubtedly aware of the aerial ability of Arsenal's backline. His penalty levelled the contest in normal time, but otherwise he looked bright without any end product.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia – 6 – His box of tricks misfired in the first half, but he was a man transformed after the restart. Won the penalty after finally isolating Mosquera, although he was swiftly doubled, tripled and quadrupled up on again when Timber was introduced from the bench. Has had better games, but was ultimately crucial to PSG defending their crown.

Bradley Barcola – 5 – Spurned a massive chance to win it and was relieved his team-mates bailed him out in the shoot-out.

Goncalo Ramos – 6 – Scored the opener in the shoot-out from the spot. Cannot ask for more than that.

Warren Zaire-Emery – 6 – Buzzed about with purpose, and broke through the Arsenal lines on occasion.

Illia Zabarnyi – 7 - He wasn't on the pitch for long but stepped up to take the decisive penalty for PSG in the shoot-out

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