The key facts

  • 53 red cards were shown in the Uberlândia — Mamoré match, setting a world record
  • The mass brawl began after provocative gestures by Mamoré player Davi in the 54th minute
  • Referee Fernando Patrick abandoned the match at 3:1 and said he had filed a police report over threats

A record-breaking match in Minas Gerais

In the second-division semifinal of the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais championship between Uberlândia and Mamoré, an unprecedented number of sendings-off was recorded: 53 red cards. This was reported by CNN Brasil, whose data is cited by Daryo.uz.

How the events unfolded

The trigger for the conflict came in the 54th minute: after scoring a goal, Mamoré player Davi demonstratively provoked his Uberlândia opponents with gestures and insults, after which a mass brawl broke out. Referee Fernando Patrick sent off 21 Mamoré players and 22 Uberlândia footballers, as well as eight coaches and two managers from each side — 53 people in total.

Match abandoned, referee goes to the police

Patrick decided not to continue the game, recording a 3:1 victory for Mamoré in his report. In addition, the referee said he had filed a police report over threats made against him by an Uberlândia manager. Sources have not yet reported on any consequences for the clubs or disqualifications.

A new world record

This match broke the world record for the number of red cards in football history. The previous mark — 36 sendings-off — had stood since February 27, 2011, when it was set in a fifth-division match of the Argentine championship between Atlético Claypole and Victoriano Arenas. Thus, the Brazilian incident exceeded the previous record by 17 sendings-off.