Former Chelsea midfielder Oscar is considering retiring from football after collapsing at Sao Paulo’s training ground on Tuesday.
The 34-year-old fell ill during pre-season medical tests at the club’s training ground due to cardiac issues and was taken by ambulance to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Albert Einstein Israelite Hospital.
Oscar was taking part in an interval test on an exercise bike when he felt unwell, fell to the ground and remained unconscious for around two minutes, according to Brazilian outlet Globo.
The midfielder is in a stable condition and is undergoing several heart checks at the private hospital in Sao Paulo.
Oscar has an 11-year-old daughter and an eight-year-old son with his wife Ludmila, who is currently pregnant with their third child. He is now seriously exploring the possibility of ending his playing career, according to multiple sources in Brazil.
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‘Right now, the only thing we’re thinking about is that Oscar is well, stays well, then we’ll have other concerns,’ said Sao Paulo’s football director, Carlos Belmonte.
‘If Oscar is well and fit, we’re counting on him for the 2026 season. If Oscar isn’t, or if he makes a personal decision not to play anymore, we will support the player’s decision.
‘Oscar is a young man who deserves all our respect, he’s extremely dedicated, so let’s wait and see. We’re counting on Oscar in 2026 if he’s able to. If he decides to stop, we’ll negotiate Oscar’s departure.’
A statement from Sao Paulo read: ‘During tests carried out on Tuesday morning (11), at SuperCT, as part of the preparation for the 2026 pre-season, athlete Oscar presented an incident with cardiological changes, being promptly attended to by the club’s professionals and the medical team from Einstein Hospital Israelita, who were present at the site.
‘The player was then taken to the hospital, where he is currently in stable condition and remains under observation for further tests to clarify the diagnosis.
‘As per standard procedure and respecting the player’s privacy, new information will be released as soon as there is an update from the medical team, in agreement with Oscar.’
Chelsea signed Oscar in a £25 million deal from Brazilian side Internacional in 2012 and made 203 appearances for the Premier League club.
During his time at Stamford Bridge, Oscar won two Premier League titles, the League Cup and the Europa League.
He then made the £60m move to Chinese Super League side Shanghai SIPG in 2016 where he became one of the world’s highest-paid players at the time on £400,000 a week.
Oscar returned to Brazil last December, signing a three year contract with Sao Paulo.
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