Arsenal came within a penalty shootout of completing one of the most remarkable doubles in English football history.

A Premier League title lifted at Selhurst Park, followed six days later by a Champions League final in Budapest. It was the stuff that dreams are made of, and for at least an hour, it looked entirely possible. Kai Havertz’s early opener had the red half of Budapest daring to believe, before Ousmane Dembele’s equaliser from the penalty spot drew matters level midway through the second half.

It was from the same place that Arsenal suffered their ultimate heartbreak, where misses from Eberechi Eze and Gabriel ultimately ended their hopes of the double.

Mikel Arteta’s approach to the final made many think whether it was the right way to set up for a Champions League final, and one of the most decorated players in English football history has waded his way into the conversation, with his verdict certain to divide opinion.

Gary Lineker, speaking on The Rest is Football podcast, was generous in his praise of Arsenal’s achievement in reaching the final, but pulled no punches when it came to assessing what the outcome meant for the game as a whole.

In his view, PSG’s victory wasn’t just a win for the French club, it was a win for football itself: “Looking at the game as a fan with no skin in the game, I think Arsenal had to play that way because they wouldn’t have beaten PSG any other way, but at the same time I think football won.”

Lineker was careful to acknowledge the legitimacy of defensive football, but made clear where his sympathies as a neutral lie:

He identified three teams as having reached that level in Europe this season, and Arsenal weren’t among them: “I think this season those three teams have been PSG, Bayern Munich and Barcelona.”

It’s a view that won’t sit well with Arsenal supporters, and many will argue that reaching a Champions League final without losing a single match in the competition until the penalty shootout is itself a mark of footballing excellence.

Mikel Arteta Vows Arsenal Will Learn From Champions League Pain

For his part, Arteta was in no mood to engage with the tactical debate in the immediate aftermath of the final. The Arsenal manager cut a devastated figure in Budapest and chose instead to focus on the raw emotion of the occasion and what it means for the club going forward.

“We haven’t done it for 22 years [reached the Champions League final], so imagine the second time in our history that we have done it, and we need to recognise the season we had. But at the moment nobody is going to take the pain away from you. You have to go through the emotions and if you’re in pain, then go through the pain. If you think you could do something else, then learn from it. Reflect on that and show the ambition that we want to have again.”

On PSG, Arteta was noble in defeat: “They are a superb team and I congratulate them. Individual quality they have, the manner they are coached – they are a top, top team.”

Arteta and his squad joined an estimated 1.5 million supporters on the streets of north London for the Premier League title parade, a reminder that for all the heartbreak of Budapest, this is still the most successful season Arsenal have enjoyed in a generation.

Even at 38 years old, Stephen Curry continues to rank among the best NBA players on the planet. The Golden State Warriors superstar has already cemented his place in basketball history and is a lock for the Hall of Fame. Looking at everything he has accomplished throughout his career, it’s not difficult to understand why.

Although he has just one Finals MVP award on his resume, there is little debate that Curry was often the most dangerous offensive weapon for the Warriors—especially alongside Kevin Durant during their dominant years. Opposing teams regularly spent countless hours trying to design schemes capable of slowing him down. A two-time scoring champion, Curry also led the NBA in steals in 2016 and is already recognised as one of the greatest point guards ever to play the game.

With a resume as decorated as his, Curry is certainly qualified to weigh in on the debate surrounding the five greatest NBA players of all time. Here is what the Warriors icon had to say.

Steph Curry’s 5 Greatest NBA Players of All Time

Michael Jordan

It should come as no surprise that Curry included Michael Jordan in his top five. Viewed by many as basketball’s undisputed GOAT, Jordan enjoyed a legendary career with the Chicago Bulls, capturing six championships and five MVP awards. Only Los Angeles Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has won more MVP trophies, with six to his name.

Wilt Chamberlain

Before Curry transformed the franchise, Wilt Chamberlain was widely regarded as the greatest player in Warriors history when the team was still known as the San Francisco Warriors. His dominance was so overwhelming that the NBA introduced multiple rule changes to limit his impact. Chamberlain collected four MVP awards and won championships in both 1967 and 1972.

He led the league in scoring seven times and topped the NBA in rebounding on 11 different occasions. Chamberlain’s presence was felt at both ends of the floor, while his rivalry with Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics remains one of the most iconic in basketball history.

Shaquille O’Neal

Like Chamberlain, Shaquille O’Neal deserves mention whenever discussions about the most dominant player in NBA history arise. Combining elite size with remarkable athleticism, O’Neal was virtually impossible to contain in his prime, overpowering defenders in the paint and even leaving backboards shattered along the way.

While a championship eluded him with the Orlando Magic, O’Neal became an unstoppable force after joining the Los Angeles Lakers. He earned Finals MVP honours during each of the franchise’s three consecutive championship runs beginning in 2000. Known for elevating his performances in the postseason, O’Neal earns a place in Curry’s all-time top five ahead of legendary centers such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Hakeem Olajuwon.

LeBron James

Often viewed as the closest challenger to Michael Jordan’s GOAT crown, LeBron James remains among the NBA’s elite players even in 2026—more than 20 years after entering the league. Now starring for the Los Angeles Lakers, James has evolved from a once-in-a-generation athlete into one of basketball’s greatest minds, pairing physical gifts with extraordinary court awareness.

During a conversation involving Curry, James, and Kevin Durant, Curry was asked which trait from the Lakers star he would most like to possess.

Magic Johnson

Widely regarded as the greatest point guard in NBA history, Magic Johnson ruled the 1980s with a combination of size, vision, and passing ability unlike anything the league had previously seen. As the driving force behind the Showtime Lakers, Johnson dazzled fans while consistently elevating teammates such as James Worthy and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

A five-time NBA champion, Johnson also captured three MVP awards, including consecutive honours in 1989 and 1990. He led the league in assists four times and showcased his defensive instincts by topping the NBA in steals during both 1981 and 1982. When Curry was asked if Magic deserved to be considered the greatest point guard ever, he offered a humble response.

Gabriel Magalhaes gave everything he had in Budapest. The Brazilian centre-back was colossal throughout every stage of the Champions League, putting in defensive shifts that did as much as anyone’s to keep Arsenal competitive throughout both their Premier League and European runs.

But one moment undid it all. When Gabriel stepped up to take Arsenal’s fifth penalty in the shoot-out, with the tie there to be saved, his effort soared high over the crossbar and Paris Saint-Germain were champions of Europe for the second successive year.

It was a devastating end to what had been a monumental season, and in the hours that followed, as Arsenal supporters processed the pain, a message of support arrived from a source that few would’ve predicted.

John Terry’s Message to Arsenal’s Gabriel

John Terry, the England and Chelsea legend and lifelong adversary of everything to do with Arsenal, set aside the rivalry to offer a set of heartfelt words directed at Gabriel in the aftermath of the final.

The former Chelsea captain knows better than most what it feels like to miss a penalty in a Champions League final:

“Wow, a horrible way to lose. I got it completely wrong in my predictions. I thought PSG were poor and Arsenal got off to a great start with the goal from Havertz. But fair play to Arsenal, I think they’ve been superb in the Premier League and Champions League. But they just miss out and it’s a horrible way to lose.”

He then turned his attention squarely to Gabriel:

It was a compassionate message from a man who had every reason to enjoy Chelsea’s status as the only London club to have lifted the Champions League trophy.

John Terry’s Own Penalty Heartbreak In Moscow

The reason Terry’s words carry such weight is that he lived through an almost identical moment himself. In the 2008 Champions League final in Moscow, with Chelsea facing Manchester United in a penalty shoot-out, he stepped up with the chance to win the trophy for his club. Terry slipped on the rain-soaked turf at the crucial moment, with his penalty cannoning off the post, and Chelsea went on to lose.

It’s one of the most iconic and heartbreaking images in Champions League history, and a moment that’s stayed in his mind as time went on.

Terry’s personal experience gives his message to Gabriel a credibility and sincerity that moves past the usual platitudes offered in the aftermath of a big occasion like this. He isn’t simply offering sympathy from the outside, he’s speaking as someone who woke up the morning after a Champions League final feeling exactly as Gabriel feels now.

Gabriel, for his part, showed admirable resilience. He was present and engaged at Arsenal’s Premier League title parade the very next day. They moved through north London, where over one million supporters turned out to celebrate England’s newest champions.

On Instagram, he wrote: “It’s painful, but I’m proud of this team and everything we achieved together this season. Thank you to our incredible fans for your support every step of the way. You deserve to celebrate this journey with us and enjoy the parade today! See you next season!!! Love, Big Gabi.”