BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil — Twenty-three players were shown a red card as a lengthy brawl requiring the intervention of military police marred the final seconds of a Brazilian soccer match between Cruzeiro and Atletico Mineiro.
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 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.”
It was sparked by a challenge by Cruzeiro midfielder Christian on Atletico goalkeeper Everson, who responded by rugby-tackling his opponent to the ground and dropping both knees into his head.
That led to a mass fight as players from both teams piled in, punching and kicking each other. In footage shared across social media, Hulk, who plays for Atletico, was seen punching an opponent on the back of the head then getting kicked in the chest.
“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.
According to statistics provided by the teams, Cruzeiro had 12 players sent off and Atletico had 11.
Cruzeiro wound up winning 1-0 in the Campeonato Mineiro final to become state champion in Minas Gerais.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer