Cruzeiro‘s 1-0 win over Atlético-MG in Sunday’s Mineiro Championship final was overshadowed by a mass brawl that erupted seconds before the final whistle and resulted in 23 red cards issued.
Former Brazil forward Hulk was among the players sent off following the violence that lasted more than a minute and spread from one end of the field toward the other as substitutes, members of the coaching staff and security also weighed in.
“We need to acknowledge our mistakes and learn from them,” Hulk wrote on Instagram on Monday. “What happened yesterday does not represent the values that soccer should embody. Rivalry is part of the sport, but respect must always prevail over any emotion.”
The scuffle started with 30 seconds remaining in stoppage time, when Atlético-MG goalkeeper Éverson kept out a shot from Matheus Pereira and, on the rebound, was tackled by Cruzeiro midfielder Christian.
Éverson got up and went after Christian, pinning him to the ground with his knee.
Players from both sides rushed over to intervene while security staff tried to separate the teams.
“I apologize to everyone who was in the stadium, to those who watched it on television, and especially to the children who look up to football. What we saw on the pitch is not the example we want to set,” Hulk added.
The match at the Mineirão was halted for eight minutes as referee Matheus Delgado waited for things to calm down before blowing the final whistle to crown Cruzeiro champions.
“Of course we didn’t want the match to end like that, given the spectacle it was, but I couldn’t leave my teammates in trouble and just stand there,” said Cruzeiro striker Kaio Jorge, whose second-half goal on Sunday gave his team its first state title since 2019. “I went to defend my teammates.”
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Jorge was one of 12 Cruzeiro players who received retrospective red cards, while Éverson was among the 11 Atletico-MG players dismissed.
Both Cruzeiro, coached by former Brazil manager Tite, and Atlético-MG are winless in four Serie A games this season.
