Massive brawl in Mineiro Championship final leads to players getting record-breaking 23 red cards, Brazilian forward Hulk opens up on being hit

The match between Cruzeiro and Atletico Mineiro in Belo Horizonte ended in chaos after a huge fight broke out among players and staff at the Mineiro Championship final in Brazil. What should have been a moment to celebrate football turned into one of the most controversial scenes in Brazilian football history.

The heated confrontation started moments before the final whistle. Substitutes and staff members also joined the brawl as tempers flared on the field. The dramatic scenes overshadowed Cruzeiro’s narrow victory. After reviewing the incident, officials handed out 23 red cards, breaking a decades-old record and highlighting the seriousness of the incident.

Massive fight overshadows Cruzeiro’s 1-0 victory in Mineiro Championship final

The trouble began late in the match when Atletico Mineiro goalkeeper Everson collided with Cruzeiro midfielder Christian. Christian went down injured after the contact. Instead of walking away, Everson appeared to jump onto the midfielder and shout at him while he was still on the ground.

This action angered the Cruzeiro players. Several of them rushed toward the goalkeeper and pushed him toward the goalpost. Within seconds, players from both teams surrounded the area.

Punches were thrown and players kicked at each other as the situation spiraled out of control. The chaos lasted for several moments while officials struggled to restore order.

Among the players involved was veteran Brazilian forward Hulk. At one point, he seemed to be struck by a flying kick from a Cruzeiro player during the fight. Video footage also showed the 39-year-old forward hitting another player from behind during the confrontation.

Soon after the violence erupted, the referee decided to end the match and blew the final whistle.

Cruzeiro had already taken the lead earlier in the game. Their winning goal came in the 60th minute when striker Kaio Jorge scored the only goal of the match.

However, the result was overshadowed by the ugly scenes that followed.

After reviewing the incident, officials punished a total of 23 players with red cards. This number set a new record in Brazilian football. The previous record was 22 red cards in a match between Portuguesa and Botafogo in 1954.

Hulk later addressed the incident and expressed regret over what happened. He said it was deeply unfortunate and admitted he had rarely witnessed such violent behavior during a football match. He added that players must avoid such actions because they create negative attention worldwide. According to him, professional footballers have a duty to protect both their personal reputation and the reputation of their clubs.