Brazilian Under-20 Football Match Sees Record 51 Red Cards After Mass Brawl

OPA WIRE, Nov 4 (OPA) — A Guinness World Record was shattered during a Minas Gerais Under-20 Championship fixture between Uberlandia and Mamore when the referee issued 51 red cards. The dismissals included 43 players and eight members of the coaching staff, easily eclipsing the previous mark of 36 set in an Argentine fifth-division match in 2011.

The disorder began in the 54th minute after Uberlandia's Luike Bispo dos Santos was sent off for striking an opponent in the stomach. According to match reports, Uberlandia manager Willer Francisco Silva and two staff members then ran onto the field to confront referee Fernando Patrick, issuing threats of violence before the situation escalated entirely.

Nearly four teams' worth of participants engaged in running clashes on the pitch, with witnesses reporting that items including stretchers and chairs were used during the melee. The referee's report noted that six ball boys also entered the fray, throwing punches, kicks, and objects at players and staff before military police restored order.

In total, 22 players from Uberlandia and 21 from Mamore were dismissed, alongside four coaching staff members from each side. The chaos took more than half an hour to quell before officials finalized the record-breaking disciplinary action.