Fifty-three red cards. Let that sink in for a second. That’s the absolutely bonkers number handed out by the referee in a single Brazilian under-20s soccer match this past Sunday, turning a state championship semifinal into an all-out melee and setting a new, truly unbelievable record for dismissals. This wasn’t just a tough game, it was pure, unadulterated chaos between Uberlandia and Mamore, and it means everything for the tournament.
When The Whistle Blew, All Hell Broke Loose
The first leg of this state championship semifinal was already heated. Trouble started early in the second half when Uberlandia officials stormed the field after one of their players got sent off. Can you believe it? The game had to stop for a full 40 minutes because of that! When things finally got going again, Mamore punched in a goal in the ninth minute of stoppage time, pushing their lead to 3-1. But hold up, Mamore player Davi then decided to taunt the Uberlandia squad during the celebration. And yeah, you guessed it, that’s when the whole thing just detonated into a full-blown mass brawl.
Referee’s Nightmare: 53 Dismissals And A Match Abandoned
Imagine being the referee, Fernando Patrick Drosghic Modesto, trying to sort out that mess. It was an absolute free-for-all. When the dust settled, the count was staggering: 43 players, 8 members of the coaching staff, and even 2 Uberlandia board members were sent packing. That’s a grand total of 53 red cards! Modesto wrote in his report, “In the 54th minute of the second half, a generalized brawl broke out, making it impossible to show the red cards and to carry out the match-closing protocol.” He straight up declared the match ended because of the “turmoil and the lack of security.” On top of all that, he filed a police report over threats made against him, and Mamore’s team allegedly trashed the dressing room. This completely eclipses the previous Guinness World Record of 36 red cards, which happened in an Argentinian match way back in 2011.
So what’s next for these teams? With Mamore not having enough eligible players for the second leg, Uberlandia decided to forfeit. They called it a “gesture of fair play,” which, honestly, is pretty wild after everything that went down. That forfeit means Mamore officially qualifies for the final. Uberlandia said they’ve already taken “appropriate disciplinary measures” internally, emphasizing that “athletic development is, above all, a matter of personal development.” Let’s hope those internal measures stick, because what we saw unfold on that field was far from developing anything positive.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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