23 players shown red card as Cruzeiro vs Atletico Mineiro final spirals into one of football's ugliest brawls

In the Campeonato Mineiro final, Cruzeiro's 1-0 win over Atlético Mineiro was overshadowed by a mass brawl that resulted in 23 red cards.

Cruzeiro’s 1-0 win over fierce rivals Atletico Mineiro in the Campeonato Mineiro final was completely overshadowed by shocking scenes of violence, with 23 players eventually sent off after a mass brawl erupted deep into stoppage time in Belo Horizonte on Sunday. Kaio Jorge’s goal had given Cruzeiro the edge in a high-stakes state final, but the result quickly became secondary as tempers exploded near the end and the match descended into chaos.

23 red cards were shown in the match between Cruzeiro and Atlético Mineiro. (x images)

The flashpoint came in the closing moments when Cruzeiro midfielder Christian became involved in an altercation with Atletico Mineiro goalkeeper Everson. What began as a heated on-field confrontation escalated instantly when Everson reacted aggressively, dragging Christian down, prompting angry retaliation from nearby Cruzeiro players. Within seconds, the incident had spilt far beyond the original clash, drawing in footballers from both sides as well as substitutes and staff from the benches.

The scenes that followed were extraordinary even by the standards of a fierce derby. Players pushed, kicked and threw punches as officials and security personnel rushed in to restore order. The violence spread across the pitch, turning the final minutes of the contest into complete disorder. Instead of the usual full-time scenes of celebration or heartbreak, the match ended in confusion and fury, with both teams engulfed in one of the ugliest confrontations seen in football in recent memory.

After reviewing the violence in his report, referee Matheus Delgado Candancan issued 23 red cards in total, 12 to Cruzeiro and 11 to Atletico Mineiro. Christian and Everson were among those dismissed for their roles in the original confrontation, while others were punished for their roles in the wider melee. Former Brazil international Hulk, now one of Atletico Mineiro’s biggest names, was also among the players sent off.

The scale of the brawl ensured that Cruzeiro’s victory was almost lost in the noise. Kaio Jorge’s decisive contribution should have been the defining moment of the final, but the match instead became a global talking point for all the wrong reasons. The Mineirao was already hosting a tense rivalry clash between two of Belo Horizonte’s biggest clubs, yet the closing scenes took the game far beyond competitive aggression and into outright mayhem.

By the time calm was restored, the image left behind was not one of Cruzeiro lifting a trophy after a hard-fought derby win. It was of a final consumed by rage, a referee forced into extraordinary disciplinary action, and Brazilian football once again confronting the damage that such chaos can do to the sport’s image.