Sport · Sri Lanka Bureau
Brazilian youth match sets unwanted world record with 53 red cards
A chaotic under-20s championship match in Brazil has set a world record for red cards shown in a single game. The semi-final first leg between Uberlandia and Mamore descended into disorder, resulting in 43 players and eight coaching staff members being sent off.
LSN Sri Lanka ·
The Minas Gerais Under-20 Championship encounter between Uberlandia and Mamore on Saturday became the subject of unprecedented disciplinary action, with match officials distributing 53 red cards during the fixture. The scenes of mayhem also saw two Uberlandia board members expelled from the ground.
The semi-final first leg match spiralled into disorder as tensions escalated between the two sides, prompting the referee to take increasingly stringent action. With 43 players dismissed—the vast majority of both squads—the match was effectively rendered unplayable in its later stages.
Beyond the playing personnel, the breakdown in discipline extended to the technical areas, with eight members of coaching staff from both teams also receiving their marching orders. The unprecedented scale of dismissals has drawn attention to issues of player conduct and match management in Brazilian youth football.
The incident now stands as a stark reminder of how quickly sporting contests can deteriorate without effective player discipline and emotional control. The governing bodies overseeing Brazilian youth championships are likely to review both the circumstances of the match and any subsequent sanctions for the clubs involved.