A mass brawl during the Campeonato Mineiro final in Brazil led to red cards for 23 players from Cruzeiro and Atlético Mineiro. The violence erupted deep in stoppage time of Cruzeiro's 1-0 win in Belo Horizonte on Sunday.
The incident began when Atlético goalkeeper Everson rugby-tackled Cruzeiro midfielder Christian to the ground after the keeper spilled the ball. Everson then kneeled on Christian, caught his face, and shouted at him while applying pressure to his back. This provoked an angry reaction from Cruzeiro players, who pushed Everson into the net, triggering a melee.
The brawl spread across the pitch, with players kicking, punching, and pushing. Substitutes and coaching staff also joined the violence, which lasted over a minute. Although no red cards were shown during the game, the referee retrospectively issued 23 red cards—12 to Cruzeiro and 11 to Atlético.
Atlético forward Hulk called the violence regrettable. “I have never seen violence like that in any football game,” he said. “We cannot set that example because it ends up having repercussions all around the world.” Cruzeiro coach Tite thanked fans for their support, saying, “I may lack competence at times, but respect for the fans, the work, the dignity, the honesty, that’s what counts.”
