Parrot attacks player, forces 2 stoppages during football match

A youth football match in Brazil was brought to a standstill after a blue-and-yellow macaw swooped onto the pitch and attacked a player, forcing the referee to halt play on two separate occasions.

The unusual incident took place during a Brazil Under-15 Cup fixture between Flamengo and Ceará on Saturday.

Just 17 minutes into the first half, a Flamengo defender was preparing to play a pass when the large parrot suddenly dived toward him. Startled by the unexpected attack, the young player fell to the ground as the bird continued flying around the field.

With the macaw repeatedly approaching players, the referee stopped the game until it eventually flew away.

The interruption proved to be only the beginning. Around 25 minutes later, the same bird returned and landed directly on the playing surface, prompting officials to suspend the match once again while players and spectators watched in amazement.

The bird was later identified as a blue-and-yellow macaw, one of South America’s best-known parrot species. Native to the continent’s tropical rainforests, the colorful birds are renowned for their intelligence, powerful beaks, and striking blue-and-gold feathers.

Fortunately, no players were injured during either incident.

Despite taking an early 1-0 lead, Flamengo were unable to maintain their advantage and eventually suffered a 2-1 defeat to Ceara.

Although incidents involving birds interrupting football matches are uncommon, they are not entirely unheard of.

Earlier this year, an amateur football match in Turkey between Istanbul Yurdum and Mevlanakapi Guzelhisar was paused after a seagull was accidentally struck by the ball.

Players from both teams rushed to assist the injured bird, with Istanbul captain Gani Catan reportedly performing CPR before carrying the seagull to the touchline for further treatment.