Gazzetta dello Sport recalls football's most violent matches, from 53 red cards in Brazil to the Battle of Santiago

La Gazzetta dello Sport has published a retrospective on some of the most violent matches in football history, leading with a Brazilian youth semi-final in which 53 people were sent off. According to the report, the match between Uberlândia and Mamoré at the Parque do Sabiá on 3 November 2026 descended into a mass brawl after a celebration by the player Davi angered the opposing bench, with players, substitutes, coaches and directors involved. Referee Fernando Patrick suspended the game, and the outlet reports 43 players and 10 staff or board members were dismissed. Uberlândia then withdrew from the return semi-final, allowing Mamoré to reach the final.

The article also revisits the 1962 World Cup group match between Italy and Chile in Santiago, known as the "Battle of Santiago", where Giorgio Ferrini was sent off after seven minutes and had to be escorted from the pitch, and Mario David followed before goals from Jaime Ramírez and Jorge Toro gave Chile a 2-0 win. It cites BBC commentator David Coleman's description of the match as "one of the most shameful football exhibitions in history".

Other episodes listed include the 1990 Dinamo Zagreb–Red Star Belgrade match at Maksimir, where Zvonimir Boban kicked a policeman and the game was awarded 3-0 to Red Star; the 2025 Turkish Cup quarter-final between Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe, after which José Mourinho grabbed Okan Buruk's nose; and the 2026 Campeonato Mineiro final between Cruzeiro and Atlético Mineiro, which the report says produced 23 red cards. The piece also covers Maradona's brawl in the 1984 Copa del Rey final, the record 18 yellow cards in Argentina–Netherlands at the 2022 World Cup, and clashes involving Grêmio, Colo Colo–Boca Juniors, Boca Juniors–Sporting Cristal and Roma–Galatasaray in 2002.

The accounts are presented as the newspaper's historical reconstruction rather than official confirmation, and some details, including the 2026 dates, could not be independently verified from the source.