Record 23 Red Cards Issued After Violent Brawl in Brazilian Cup Final

A Brazilian state football final descended into chaos as 23 players were retrospectively sent off following a mass brawl, overshadowing Cruzeiro’s 1-0 victory over Atletico Mineiro.

The incident erupted in the closing moments of the Campeonato Mineiro decider in Belo Horizonte, when Atletico goalkeeper Everson shoved Cruzeiro midfielder Christian to the ground and knelt on his chest after a clash over a loose ball.

Teammates rushed in, pushing Everson against the goalpost, sparking a wider melee that required security and military police to intervene.

Referee Matheus Delgado Candancan issued no red cards on the field due to the scale of the fight, but his post-match report cited a “generalised brawl,” leading to the ejections of 12 Cruzeiro players — including goalscorer Kaio Jorge — and 11 from Atletico, such as former Brazil star Hulk and ex-Nottingham Forest defender Renan Lodi.

Hulk condemned the violence, saying: “It’s regrettable. We cannot set that example because it ends up having repercussions all around the world. We have a responsibility to safeguard our image and the image of the institution.”

The expulsions set a new record for the most red cards in a senior match, surpassing a 2011 Argentine fifth-division game where 22 players were dismissed.

Cruzeiro, managed by former Brazil coach Tite, claimed their first Minas Gerais state title since 2019, but both clubs are struggling in Serie A, sitting winless in the relegation zone after four games.