tarjeta roja
Definition
In association football (soccer), a red card (tarjeta roja) shown by the referee to a player for a serious offense, such as violent conduct or denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, resulting in immediate ejection from the match.
Figuratively, any decisive sanction or dismissal that abruptly ends someone's involvement, akin to being 'sent off' in a professional or social context.
Examples
El defensa patinó con su ego y se llevó la tarjeta roja antes del descanso.
The defender slipped on his ego and picked up a red card before halftime.
La tarjeta roja convirtió al héroe del barrio en espectador VIP desde la grada.
The red card turned the neighborhood hero into a VIP spectator from the stands.
Protestó tanto el cambio que el árbitro le regaló una tarjeta roja como souvenir.
He complained so much about the substitution that the referee gave him a red card as a souvenir.
Con la tarjeta roja temprana, el partido se volvió un monólogo del rival.
With an early red card, the match turned into a monologue for the opponents.