The old record was 36. On Sunday, Nov. 1, a referee in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais showed 53 red cards in a single under-20 match after a brawl between Uberlandia and Mamore.

The game was the first leg of a semifinal in the second tier of the Minas Gerais under-20 state championship, played at Estadio Parque do Sabia in Uberlandia, according to the Diario de Uberlandia. Mamore led 3-1 when it was abandoned.

How 53 Red Cards Add Up

Referee Fernando Patrick Drosghic Modesto's match report lists 51 dismissals: 22 players and four staff from Uberlandia, 21 players and four staff from Mamore, per the Diario. Two Uberlandia board members were also sent off, which brings the total to 53, as ESPN and Al Jazeera, citing Reuters report it. The previous mark was 36, in an Argentine fifth-division match between Claypole and Victoriano Arenas in February 2011.

Both coaching staffs were among those sent off. The Diario lists Uberlandia coach Marcelo Augusto Ferreira and Mamore coach Quintino Mariz de Oliveira Filho.

What Started It, and the Police Report

Reuters reported that Uberlandia officials came onto the field after one of their players was sent off early in the second half, and play was stopped for 40 minutes. Brazilian media reported that a Mamore goal celebration aimed at the Uberlandia bench set off the fight. The referee then ended the match, citing the lack of security. A police report was filed over threats made against him, and both clubs have been accused of damage in the dressing rooms.

Uberlandia Forfeits, Mamore Goes to the Final

Uberlandia said it would forfeit the second leg because Mamore no longer had enough eligible players, and that it had taken internal disciplinary steps. Mamore advances to the final. We are not naming the under-20 players involved. More world soccer is on BallerTube's soccer page.