Brazilian U-20 Match Sees Unbelievable 53 Red Cards After Massive Brawl
A Brazilian under-20 state championship match between Uberlandia and Mamore spiraled into chaos, resulting in a staggering 53 red cards after a huge brawl broke out on the field.
Violence Erupts in Minas Gerais State Championship
The incident happened during the first leg of the semi-final in the Minas Gerais state championship. The trouble started early in the second half when an Uberlandia player was sent off, prompting several Uberlandia officials to storm the pitch aggressively. This led to a long 40-minute delay before play could continue.
When the match resumed, tensions boiled over even more after Mamore scored a late goal in the ninth minute of stoppage time to make it 3-1. Mamore’s Davi celebrated provocatively, which triggered an enormous brawl involving players and staff from both sides.
Match Abandoned After Massive Red Card Show
The referee, Fernando Patrick Drosghic Modesto, had no option but to abandon the game due to the sheer scale of the fighting. In total, 43 players, eight coaching staff members, and two Uberlandia board members were all shown red cards and dismissed from the match.
"In the 54th minute of the second half, a general brawl erupted, making it impossible to issue all red cards and complete match protocol," Modesto explained in his official report, as cited by Reuters. "Due to the chaos and lack of security, I declared the match ended."
The referee also confirmed he had filed a police report regarding verbal threats aimed at him during the incident.
New World Record for Most Red Cards
This extraordinary total of 53 red cards shatters the previous Guinness World Record, which stood at 36 red cards. That record was set in February 2011 during an Argentine fifth-division match between Atletico Claypole and Victoriano Arenas.
After the match, Mamore’s squad reportedly vandalized their dressing room, according to Modesto’s report.
Uberlandia Responds and Forfeits Second Leg
Uberlandia issued a strong statement condemning the behavior seen on the pitch and announced that disciplinary actions have been taken internally. They emphasized that athletic growth should be tied to personal development.
Due to the large number of dismissals, Mamore was left without enough players to legally compete in the second leg of the semi-final. On Wednesday, Uberlandia announced they would forfeit the return match as a gesture of fair play following the disgraceful events.
This forfeit means Mamore automatically advances to the final of the youth state tournament. Both clubs face likely severe disciplinary measures from regional Brazilian football authorities.
Details of the Incident
- Match: Uberlandia vs Mamore (Under-20 Minas Gerais State Championship Semi-final)
- Date: Sunday (exact date not specified)
- Final score at abandonment: Mamore 3, Uberlandia 1
- Number of red cards issued: 53 (43 players, 8 coaches, 2 board members)
- Previous world record: 36 red cards in a 2011 Argentine fifth-division game
- Referee: Fernando Patrick Drosghic Modesto
- Outcome: Match abandoned, Uberlandia forfeited second leg
