In an unprecedented incident during the 2026 Campeonato Mineiro final held at Mineirão Stadium in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, a massive brawl erupted leading to the ejection of 23 players. The incident occurred in injury time with Cruzeiro leading 1-0 when a confrontation between Cruzeiro's Cristian and Atlético Mineiro's goalkeeper Everson over a loose ball escalated into violence. Everson shoved Cristian to the ground and then kneeled on his chest, prompting a rush of players from Cruzeiro to join the scuffle, which quickly drew in those on the sidelines as well.

The match was suspended for over eight minutes before being brought to a conclusion, with Cruzeiro ultimately winning the championship. Following the melee, officials issued red cards to 12 players from Cruzeiro and 11 from Atlético Mineiro, marking this event as one of the most chaotic in football history. This brawl broke the record for the most red cards in a match previously held by an Argentine fifth-division match in February 2011, where all 36 players present were expelled for fighting.

This unfortunate incident raises questions about player conduct and sportsmanship in Brazilian football, where such violence can overshadow the sport's integrity. As Brazil strives to be seen as a leader in football, incidents like this pose significant challenges to the sport's reputation and highlight the need for stricter regulations and oversight to prevent such brawls in the future.