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Brazil legend Marta was sent off during her team's group stage finale against Spain at the Olympic Games on Wednesday, a moment that could mark a less-than-ideal end to her storied career at major international tournaments.

Marta was shown a red card in the sixth minute of first half stoppage time, when the game was scoreless. The ball was in the air and Marta thrust her leg up to make contact with the ball, just as Spain's Olga Carmona threw her head for the same purpose. As a result, Marta kicked out at Carmona's head instead of the ball and was sent off. Carmona was treated by the medical team but was able to continue to play.

The Brazil player was visibly in shock after the decision was made and emotional, burying her head in her teammate's shoulder at times to process the move before slowly making her way off the pitch before the break.

The 38-year-old Marta is her nation's leading goalscorer with 119 international goals and holds the record for The Best FIFA Women's Player award wins with six. She has played at six Women's World Cups, finishing as a runner-up at the 2007 competition, and is now at her sixth and final Olympic Games, collecting silver medals in Athens in 2004 and Beijing in 2008.

Marta announced her intentions to retire from the national team at the end of 2024 earlier this year, regardless of whether or not she would make the Olympics teams. The veteran, though, cracked the 18-person roster after an impressive start to the season with the NWSL's Orlando Pride and continued that form in France.

"If I go to the Olympics, I'll enjoy every moment because, regardless of whether I go to the Olympics or not, this is my last year with the national team," she told CNN. "There is no longer Marta in the national team as an athlete from 2025 onwards."

Brazil will now, though, have to find a way to progress in the tournament without her. The South American side were placed in a group that includes World Cup winners Spain and Japan, as well as African champions Nigeria.