A mass brawl erupted in the Campeonato Mineiro final between Cruzeiro and Atlético Mineiro, resulting in 23 players being sent off after the match. The incident occurred deep in stoppage time during Cruzeiro’s 1-0 victory in Belo Horizonte on Sunday.
The violence was sparked when Atlético goalkeeper Everson rugby-tackled Cruzeiro’s Christian after the midfielder collided with him. Everson then kneeled on Christian, shouted at him, and applied pressure to his back, provoking an angry response from Cruzeiro players who confronted the goalkeeper and pushed him into the net.
The brawl quickly escalated, spilling across the pitch as players kicked, punched, and shoved one another. Substitutes and coaching staff also joined the melee, which lasted over a minute. Although no red cards were shown during the game, the referee retrospectively issued 23 red cards—12 to Cruzeiro players and 11 to Atlético players.
Atlético’s former Brazil forward Hulk condemned the violence, saying, “It’s regrettable, I have never seen violence like that in any football game. We cannot set that example because it ends up having repercussions all around the world.”
Cruzeiro coach Tite, a former Brazil manager, thanked fans for their support. “I want to convey to the Cruzeiro fans the affection and respect I have for them,” he said. “I may lack competence at times, but respect for the fans, the work, the dignity, the honesty, that’s what counts.”
