What should have been a celebration of one of Brazil’s fiercest football rivalries instead ended in chaos on Sunday as the Campeonato Mineiro final between Cruzeiro and Atletico Mineiro descended into a mass brawl that produced a Brazilian record 23 red cards.
Cruzeiro secured a 1-0 victory at the Mineirao in Belo Horizonte to lift the Minas Gerais state title, but the triumph was overshadowed by extraordinary scenes in stoppage time that involved players, substitutes, staff and even security personnel.
Referee Matheus Candançan ultimately dismissed 23 players following the melee, including former Brazil forward Hulk, shattering the previous national record of 22 red cards set in 1954.
The violence erupted in the 96th minute when Cruzeiro attacker Christian challenged Atletico goalkeeper Everson after a loose ball inside the penalty area. Everson reacted angrily, pinning Christian to the turf in a rugby-style tackle and driving his knees toward the midfielder’s head.
That flashpoint ignited a full-scale confrontation.
Players from both sides rushed in as punches and kicks were exchanged across the pitch. The fight spread quickly, drawing in substitutes, members of coaching staffs and security personnel. Footage shared widely on social media showed Hulk throwing a punch toward the back of a Cruzeiro player’s head before he himself was kicked in the chest.
Military police eventually intervened to restore order after more than a minute of chaos.
Candançan later confirmed in his match report that 12 Cruzeiro players and 11 Atletico Mineiro players were dismissed for violent conduct. Among those sent off were several key figures from both squads, including Everson and Atletico captain Hulk.
The unprecedented total surpassed Brazil’s previous red-card record and moved the match closer to the global mark. The world record still belongs to a 2011 fifth-division match in Argentina between Claypole and Victoriano Arenas, in which 36 people were expelled after a similar mass confrontation.
Before the disorder, the match itself had been a tense but controlled derby. Cruzeiro had taken the lead through striker Kaio Jorge, whose second-half finish proved decisive as the team held off Atletico’s late pressure.
The result delivered Cruzeiro their first Campeonato Mineiro crown since 2019 and their 39th overall state title.
Yet the post-match conversation quickly shifted away from the trophy.
Hulk, the 39-year-old former Porto striker and one of the most recognizable figures in Brazilian football, issued a public apology after the match.
"I apologise to everyone who was at the stadium, to those who watched on TV and especially to the children who see football as an inspiration,” he said.
"What we saw is not the example we want to set.”
He later repeated the message on social media, stressing that the scenes did not reflect the values of the sport.
"We need to acknowledge our mistakes and learn from them,” Hulk wrote. "Rivalry is part of football, but respect must always prevail over emotion.”
Football authorities in Minas Gerais are expected to review the incident, and the players involved could face suspensions and financial penalties as disciplinary proceedings unfold.