During the last few minutes of the Campeonato Mineiro final between Cruzeiro and Atletico Mineiro, a serious fight occurred and the match ended up with 23 red cards issued, which is a record number of expulsions.
This fight that involved the intervention of military police broke out in the very last seconds of the game and spread very quickly over the entire pitch since not only players but also substitutes, coaching staff, and security personnel got involved in it. It was all started when Cruzeiro midfielder Christian challenged Atletico Mineiro goalkeeper Everson. The latter reacted violently and was like a rugby player who first tackled Christian to the ground and then with both knees hit his head. The fight escalated very quickly into a big brawl, and punches and kicks were thrown by players from both teams.
One of the players that were sent off in the chaos was former Brazil international forward Hulk, who plays for Atletico Mineiro. Video circulating on social media shows Hulk hitting his opponent in the back of the head. Then, while still surrounded by a crowd of players, Hulk gets kicked in the chest. The violent attack lasted for more than a minute and it even moved from one side of the field to the other, as the players were practically getting completely out of control.
Cruzeiro and Atletico Mineiro match turned into a battlefield with punches flying everywhere—in the biggest football fight in history, a whopping 23 red cards were shown! 😱🟥 pic.twitter.com/GrufpDMfpf
— Mkyfootball (@mkyfootball) March 9, 2026After the game, Hulk took to Instagram to explain the incident, admitting his mistake and apologising for what happened. He pointed out that the conduct on the field was not a good example of what football stands for. Hulk said that although rivalry is a natural thing in the game, respect should always come first over emotions. He made a public apology to the spectators in the stadium, to those watching on TV, and to young fans in particular who see footballers as their idols.
Brazilian player Hulk apologised on social media for his involvement in the on-field brawl.
According to data issued by the two teams, the red cards and fines that followed were totally off the charts. Twelve players of Cruzeiro and eleven of Atletico Mineiro were sent off during the brawl with red cards. The extent of the punishments demonstrated that the incident was very serious, and it also made everyone think about how players should behave in very competitive situations. In the end, even though the situation became so violent during the last seconds, Cruzeiro managed to win with a goal and a 10 scoreline against their rival. By winning the match, they secured the Campeonato Mineiro title, the football state championship of Minas Gerais. On the other hand, the fight, which caused a lot of criticism and talk about the topics of discipline, sportsmanship, and player accountability in professional football, mainly overshadowed the victory.
