Brazilian football witnessed extraordinary scenes on Sunday when a mass brawl during a U20 state championship semi-final in Minas Gerais led to 53 red cards. The chaotic encounter between Uberlândia and Mamoré, in the second division, produced a record number of dismissals, surpassing the previous mark of 36 red cards set in Argentina in 2011.
The first confrontation erupted in the 54th minute after several Uberlândia officials entered the pitch following a player’s dismissal. The referee stopped the match for 40 minutes before allowing play to resume. However, tensions exploded again in stoppage time after Mamoré scored to make it 3-1 in the 99th minute.
The goalscorer, Davi, celebrated in a way that angered his opponents and triggered a massive fight. According to referee Fernando Patrick Drosghic Modesto’s report, officials issued red cards to 43 players, eight coaching staff members and two Uberlândia executives.
The fallout quickly affected the competition. Mamoré no longer had enough eligible players to contest the return leg, initially scheduled for November 8. On Wednesday, Uberlândia announced its withdrawal from the fixture, describing the decision as a gesture of fair play and acknowledging Mamoré’s qualification for the final. Uberlândia will instead compete in the third-place match and says it has already taken internal disciplinary measures. Meanwhile, the incident could have legal consequences, as the referee reported filing a police complaint over alleged threats and insults. Members of the Mamoré delegation also allegedly damaged the dressing rooms after the final whistle.
