23 red cards and police intervention after mass brawl in Brazilian title match
Cruzeiro vs Atlético Mineiro match ends in scandal (photo: x.com/Cruzeiro)
The final match of the Minas Gerais State Championship between Cruzeiro and Atlético Mineiro made history not because of spectacular football, but due to an unprecedented scandal. The referee of the match was forced to show 23 red cards at once after a mass brawl that could only be stopped with the help of special police units.
RBC-Ukraine reports the details of the incident.
Cruzeiro’s triumph and the spark for the brawl
The fate of the title was decided in the 60th minute, when Kaio Jorge scored the only goal of the match after an assist from Gerson. For Cruzeiro, the 1–0 victory marked their first championship in seven years. However, the celebration of sport was ruined in the final seconds of stoppage time.
The conflict erupted after Everson, the goalkeeper of Atlético Mineiro, grabbed the ball and got into a heated clash with the opposing winger Cristian Pavón. The goalkeeper knocked his opponent to the ground and pinned him down with his knee in an MMA-style move.
This immediately sparked chaos: not only players from both teams rushed onto the field, but also substitutes, coaches, and staff.
Police intervention and a rain of red cards
The clash quickly escalated into a full-scale fight, with scuffles breaking out across the entire pitch.
Police units wearing helmets and carrying shields moved onto the field to restore order. The match was stopped for 10 minutes, but the referee ultimately decided not to resume play because there were simply not enough players left on either team.
According to the official report, 23 players and staff members were sent off: 11 red cards were shown to representatives of Atlético Mineiro and 12 to members of Cruzeiro.
Among those sent off were well-known footballers, including Hulk, Mateo Cassierra, and Gerson.
A world anti-record
The incident set a new absolute anti-record in Brazilian – and likely world – football for the number of red cards shown in a single match.
The previous “record” had stood for more than 70 years. In 1954, during a match between Associação Portuguesa de Desportos and Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas, the referee sent off 22 players.
