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Brazil beats Argentina world record with 53 red cards
Published : Thursday, 5 November, 2026 at 11:22 AM
Observer Online Report
Collected Photo
In an unprecedented incident in football history, a referee brandished a world-record 53 red cards to players and team officials following a massive brawl during a Brazilian U-20 semi-final match.
The disciplinary action shattered the previous world record of 36 red cards issued during a single match.
The incident occurred on Sunday (November 1) during the first leg of the regional semi-final in Minas Gerais between Mamoré and Uberlândia. Chaos erupted after Mamoré took a 3-1 lead, sparking a wide-scale brawl between opposing players that quickly spiraled out of control.
According to the official match report filed by referee Fernando Patrick, 40 players and eight team staff members were sent off in the aftermath of the violence. Three players had already received red cards during regulation play, while two members of Uberlândia's board of directors were also expelled, bringing the total count to 53.
The violent altercation halted play for nearly 40 minutes before officials formally abandoned the fixture. Following the match, both clubs traded accusations of vandalism, with claims that Uberlândia officials damaged Mamoré’s equipment while Mamoré personnel ransacked the host team's dressing room.
The referee's report noted that the conflict was triggered after Mamoré player Davi made mocking gestures toward the opponent’s dugout while celebrating his team's third goal. Uberlândia goalkeeper coach Paulo Sérgio Dias dos Santos then charged onto the pitch to confront him, sparking the full-scale brawl.
Referee Patrick added that several individuals issued death threats and violent warnings during the melee, prompting him to file a formal report with local police.
The previous Guinness World Record for the most red cards in a single football match was set in February 2011, when a referee issued 36 red cards during an Argentine fifth-division match between Atlético Claypole and Victoriano Arenas.
-EM
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