Guinness World Record Broken: 53 Red Cards in Brazil Match
A brawl in an under-20 state championship semifinal in Minas Gerais led the referee to issue 53 red cards, setting a new Guinness World Record. The match was…
Referee Fernando Patrick Drosghic Modesto issued 53 red cards during an under-20 semifinal in Minas Gerais, Brazil, after a brawl brought the match to a halt, setting a new Guinness World Record. The incident also ended the tie early: Uberlandia forfeited the second leg, allowing Mamore to reach the final.
The first leg of the state championship semifinal descended into disorder on Sunday. The referee’s report said trouble began early in the second half, after a Uberlandia player was sent off and club officials entered the field.
The game stopped for 40 minutes, then resumed. Mamore scored in the ninth minute of stoppage time to take a 3-1 lead, but celebrations sparked another confrontation.
How did the match reach 53 red cards?
According to reports in Brazilian media, Mamore player Davi taunted Uberlandia players during the goal celebrations. A brawl followed, leaving the referee unable to complete the usual dismissal and match-closing procedures amid the disorder.
“In the 54th minute of the second half, a generalised brawl broke out, making it impossible to show the red cards and to carry out the match-closing protocol,” Drosghic Modesto wrote in his report.
He said the lack of security and turmoil forced him to end the match. The red cards ultimately went to 43 players, eight members of the coaching staff and two Uberlandia board members.
That is the record. The previous Guinness World Record for most red cards in a match stood at 36, set during a fifth-division game in Argentina in February 2011 between Atletico Claypole and Victoriano Arenas.
Why did Uberlandia forfeit the second leg?
Uberlandia said on Wednesday that it would forfeit the return match in what it called a “gesture of fair play.” Mamore did not have enough eligible players to field a team, and the forfeit sent the club through to the tournament final.
The decision means the chaotic first leg will stand as the decisive match in the semifinal. For the clubs, the record-breaking dismissal count was followed by a change to the outcome of the tie, with Mamore advancing without playing the second leg.
Drosghic Modesto also said a police report was filed over threats against him. He added that Mamore’s team vandalised the dressing room after the match.
Uberlandia said it had taken internal disciplinary measures against those involved, adding that “athletic development is, above all, a matter of personal development.”
