A chaotic mass brawl in the Campeonato Mineiro final saw 23 players retrospectively sent off , a new record in Brazilian football history after Cruzeiro defeated fierce rivals Atlético Mineiro 1-0 to claim the state championship title, their first since 2019.
Kaio Jorge scored the decisive goal in Belo Horizonte’s Mineirão stadium for Cruzeiro, managed by former Brazil national team coach Tite, securing the triumph in a heated Clássico Mineiro.
The violence erupted in stoppage time when Atlético goalkeeper Everson pushed Cruzeiro midfielder Christian to the ground and pressed his knee into the player’s chest following a collision while chasing a loose ball. Christian’s teammates rushed in, shoving Everson against the goalpost, sparking a widespread melee with punches, kicks, flying strikes, and involvement from substitutes and staff on both sides. Security personnel and military police were forced to intervene to restore order.
Referee Matheus Delgado Candancan issued no red cards during the match due to the mayhem preventing proper administration, but the official match report (súmula) later confirmed 23 dismissals: 12 from Cruzeiro (including goalscorer Kaio Jorge, Cássio, Fagner, Fabrício Bruno, João Marcelo, Villalba, Kauã Prates, Christian, Lucas Romero, Matheus Henrique, Walace, and Gerson) and 11 from Atlético Mineiro (including Everson, Gabriel Delfim, Preciado, Lyanco, Ruan Tressoldi, Junior Alonso, Renan Lodi, Alan Franco, Alan Minda, Cassierra, and former Brazil international Hulk).
Hulk, the 39 year old forward with past stints at Porto and Zenit, was seen throwing a punch at Cruzeiro captain Lucas Romero from behind amid the chaos. Speaking afterward, he described the scenes as “regrettable” and unprecedented in his career, stressing the responsibility players hold to protect their image and that of their clubs: “We cannot set that example because it ends up having repercussions all around the world.”
The incident has drawn widespread criticism and could trigger further disciplinary sanctions against both teams for failing to control their players and benches. Notably, both clubs are struggling in the ongoing Serie A season, sitting 17th (Atlético) and 19th (Cruzeiro) after four winless matches each. This explosive derby finale overshadowed what should have been a celebratory occasion for Cruzeiro’s title win.
