23 players sent off as brawl erupts in Brazilian football match

23 players were sent off following a mass brawl during the Campeonato Mineiro final between Brazilian clubs Cruzeiro and Atlético Mineiro in Belo Horizonte on Sunday.

The chaotic scenes erupted deep into stoppage time of Cruzeiro’s 1–0 victory after a clash involving Atlético Mineiro goalkeeper Everson and Cruzeiro midfielder Christian.

The incident began when Christian collided with Everson while contesting a loose ball that the goalkeeper had spilled. Everson reacted by bringing the midfielder down with a rugby-style tackle before kneeling on him and appearing to press his knee into Christian’s face while shouting at the prone player.

The action provoked an immediate response from Cruzeiro players, who rushed towards Everson and pushed him into the goal net, triggering a mass confrontation between players from both teams.

The altercation quickly escalated into a brawl that spread across the pitch, with players kicking, punching and pushing each other while security officials and team staff struggled to restore order. Substitutes and members of the coaching staff were also caught up in the melee, which lasted for more than a minute.

Although the match was eventually completed, Brazilian media outlet O Globo reported that the referee later issued a total of 23 red cards after reviewing the incident. Twelve players from Cruzeiro and eleven from Atlético Mineiro were dismissed.

Among those sanctioned were Gagner, F. Bruno, J. Marcelo, L. Villalba, K. Pitrates, Christian, L. Romero, H. Henrique, Wallace, Gerson, C. Ramos and K. Jorge from Cruzeiro, while Everson, G. Delfim, A. Preciado, Lyanco, R. Tressoldi, Jr Alonso, R. Lodi, A. Franco, M. Cassierra, Hulk and A. Minda from Atlético Mineiro also received red cards. All the dismissals were recorded at 90+6 minutes.

Atlético Mineiro forward Hulk described the incident as regrettable and warned about the negative image such scenes could project.

“It’s regrettable. I have never seen violence like that in any football game. 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,” he said.

Cruzeiro coach, Tite, a former Brazil national team manager, thanked supporters for their backing after the victory.

“I want to convey to the Cruzeiro fans the affection and respect I have for them,” he said.

“I may lack competence at times, but respect for the fans, the work, the dignity and the honesty are what matter.”