51 Red Cards in One Match: Brawl Shakes Brazilian Football
A mass brawl and 51 red cards recorded in an under-20 match in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais.
Translated by Qiyas from الأنباء — Original source
A football match in Brazil witnessed an extraordinary incident after the referee issued 51 red cards following a mass brawl involving players and coaching staff, a tally that could surpass the record set in the Guinness World Book of Records.
The events unfolded last Sunday during the first leg of the under-20 second-division state championship semi-final between Uberlandia and Mamoré in Minas Gerais.
The crisis began when a Mamoré player celebrated his team’s third goal, which put them ahead 3-1, with provocative gestures in front of the opponents’ bench, escalating the match into a fight marked by punches, kicks, and bodies being thrown onto the pitch.
According to the referee’s report, the dismissals included 43 players and 8 members of the coaching staff, with 48 incidents directly linked to the brawl and 3 prior offenses.
The match also saw a stoppage of approximately 40 minutes due to protests against a refereeing decision, and the referee informed the police that he had received threats, including death threats.
The tally exceeds the Guinness World Record of 36 red cards in an Argentine match in 2011, although Brazil’s figure has not yet been officially recognized.
According to the website “Sport Aragon,” citing “Claro Sports,” Uberlandia withdrew from the second leg, paving the way for Mamoré to advance to the final.
