Comedian Jack Whitehall stayed up until 3am crying after Arsenal's Champions League final penalty defeat

Jack Whitehall flew back from Budapest to play in Soccer Aid having spent the previous night alone in his hotel room, crying and drinking until 3am after Arsenal lost the Champions League final to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties.

The comedian, 37, made the admission to Soccer Aid host Dermot O’Leary before taking to the pitch, joking that he was running on no sleep after the Gunners’ defeat. “I’ve just flown back from Budapest, I was up until 3am, on my own in the hotel room rewatching the penalty shootout, crying, drinking,” Whitehall said. “But it’s fine, I’m here surrounded by United fans, Tottenham fans — I feel great!”

Whitehall had travelled to Budapest with his brother and friends to watch Arsenal face PSG in the final. The North London side had arrived at the showpiece fixture just days after clinching the Premier League title — their first top-flight crown in over two decades — and came agonisingly close to completing a historic double.

The match finished 1-1 after 90 minutes and remained level through extra time, forcing a penalty shootout. Eberechi Eze and Gabriel both failed to convert for Arsenal, handing PSG the trophy. The French club have now won back-to-back European titles, having beaten Inter Milan in the final 12 months earlier.

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard reflected on the defeat after the final whistle. “Everyone is really disappointed. When you are that close to winning, it is really tough to take,” he said. “At the same time, we know what we have done this season. We’ve achieved something incredible, and we were so close to doing even better today. So we have to see the bigger picture and remember all the good stuff as well.”

Odegaard added that Arsenal had largely controlled the game after taking the lead. “I felt like we controlled the game after getting the first goal. They had the ball a lot, but they didn’t create too many chances. In the end, penalties is a tough way to lose.”

This year marked Whitehall’s return to Soccer Aid after a ten-year absence. The annual charity match, now in its 20th year, raises funds for UNICEF. The England team was captained by former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney and managed by Robbie Williams.