World record 51 red cards shown in Brazilian youth game
A world record of 43 players and eight members of staff were sent off during an under-20 championship match between Uberlandia and Mamore in Brazil.
Key points
- A world record 51 red cards were shown in a Brazilian under-20 semi-final between Uberlandia and Mamore.
- Forty-three players and eight coaching staff were sent off after a second-half brawl.
- Uberlandia conceded the second leg, calling it a "gesture of fair play" because Mamore had only seven players.
A world record of 51 red cards were shown during an under-20s game in Brazil, in the semi-final first leg of the Minas Gerais Under-20 Championship between Uberlandia and Mamore. Forty-three players and eight members of coaching staff were sent off.
The previous record was 36, set in a 2011 fifth-division game in Argentina between Club Atletico Claypole and Victoriano Arenas.
How the chaos unfolded
According to the referee's report, a brawl broke out in the second half after Mamore's Davi taunted the opposition bench while celebrating his side going 3-1 up. Uberlandia goalkeeping coach Paulo Sergio Dias Dos Santos ran on to the pitch to confront him, sparking clashes and the dismissals. Three players had already been sent off earlier.
Brazilian outlet O Tempo reported that military police were called because of extensive damage to the Parque do Sabia Stadium. The police report cited 14 broken doors, damaged shower facilities, broken windows and destroyed benches, tables and chairs. Referee Fernando Patrick Drosghic Modesto paused the game for about 40 minutes before abandoning it.
gesture of fair play
— Uberlandia
Uberlandia concede second leg
Uberlandia confirmed they have conceded the second leg of the semi-final because Mamore only have seven players available as a result of all the red cards. The club described the move as a "gesture of fair play", meaning Mamore progress to the final while Uberlandia focus on the third-place match.
