The final match of the Minas Gerais state championship between the teams "Cruzeiro" and "Atletico Mineiro," held in Belo Horizonte, ended not only with a tense game but also with a mass brawl. This incident has gone down in the history of Brazilian football, recording a record number of expulsions — 23 red cards.
It all started in the final minutes of the second half when Atletico's goalkeeper Everson collided with Cruzeiro's midfielder Christian. After this conflict, a real fight broke out on the field, involving not only the players but also the coaches, substitutes, and military police officers who tried to separate those fighting.
Despite the chaos that ensued and a ten-minute pause, the match continued. "Cruzeiro" won 1-0 thanks to a goal from Caio Jorge, which was scored in the 60th minute.
However, the main focus after the final whistle was the referee's report, in which referee Mateus Delgado Candansan recorded 12 expulsions for "Cruzeiro" and 11 for "Atletico Mineiro." This incident broke the previous record for the number of expulsions in a single match (22 cards), set in 1954 during a game between "Portuguesa" and "Botafogo." In videos published on social media, it can be seen that Everson suffered a serious head injury and began to bleed after being forcefully pushed into the goalpost.
Atletico Mineiro star Hulk, who also received a red card, commented on the incident: "It's sad. I've never seen such brutality in football. We must maintain the image of the game and our clubs, especially for the children who draw inspiration from football."
The incident has sparked widespread resonance in the global press. Sports experts are already calling this final one of the most scandalous and chaotic matches in the history of South American football.
