Oscar confirms retirement: “I wish I’d done more for São Paulo” | OneFootball

At 34 years old, attacking midfielder Oscar announced his retirement from football. This week, he agreed to terminate his contract with São Paulo, which was set to run until December 31, 2027.

Oscar has been away from the pitch since November 2025, when he felt unwell during a stress test at CT da Barra Funda. Referred to Israelita Albert Einstein Hospital, he was diagnosed with vasovagal syncope, underwent a surgical procedure, and had to follow a rest protocol before undergoing a new round of tests.

“I wanted to do more for São Paulo, I wanted to play more. I think I had as much football left in me as I had age to keep playing, but unfortunately this happened. Now I’m going to retire and keep cheering for São Paulo, keep living my life as a fan,” Oscar said.

“I’m ending here at São Paulo a career that took me to many places, that practically crossed the world. I want to thank everyone for the affection as always, all the São Paulo fans who supported me since my return and during this difficult moment I’m going through,” he added.

Developed in Tricolor’s youth ranks in Cotia, the player had two spells at São Paulo and totaled 37 appearances for the first team – scoring two goals and providing seven assists.

Last Wednesday (1), at the club’s invitation, Oscar revisited the CFA and reunited with members of the coaching staff and employees he had worked with at the start of his career. Then on Friday (3), the midfielder watched the first team’s training session at the CT and received a tribute as he said goodbye.

CAREER

Oscar dos Santos Emboaba Júnior was born in Americana, in the interior of São Paulo state, and came through Tricolor’s youth academy in Cotia.

After completing his development process, he was promoted to the first-team squad and played 14 matches as a professional, being part of the squad that won the 2008 Brazilian Championship.

After leaving São Paulo, Oscar moved to Internacional, where he won the Recopa Sudamericana (2011) and the Campeonato Gaúcho (2011 and 2012).

In 2012, Oscar joined Chelsea and was part of a successful generation at the English club, winning the UEFA Europa League (2012/13), the Premier League (2014/15 and 2016/17), and the English League Cup (2014/15).

During his time in Europe, the midfielder earned several call-ups to represent the Brazilian National Team, winning the FIFA Confederations Cup (2013).

Then, in 2017, the player was transferred to Shanghai in China, a club he represented until his return to Tricolor. His spell in Chinese football was marked by decisive performances, titles, goals, and assists: overall, he found the net 76 times and delivered 110 assists.

With Shanghai, Oscar lifted the 2018, 2023, and 2024 Chinese Super League trophies and the 2019 Chinese Super Cup.

At the end of 2024, Oscar agreed to return to São Paulo to play for the club in the 2025 season, 14 years later.

In this second spell, the player made 23 appearances, provided five assists, and scored twice – against Mirassol and Corinthians, both in the Campeonato Paulista.

THE TERMINATION

At last, the tragic saga between São Paulo and Oscar is over. After a highly turbulent beginning, when the still-young midfielder left the club after a legal breakup to join Internacional, he came back, much to the displeasure of many fans, and barely played. Now, he has reached an agreement with Tricolor and finally signed the termination of his contract.

The agreement between the parties was confirmed through the CBF’s BID, which published on Thursday night (2) the termination of the former São Paulo No. 8’s contract with the club that developed him.

AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR has learned that the agreement provides for the payment of around R$ 10 million to the player, a figure far below the R$ 60 million that had been expected through December 2027, when his deal would have expired.

A CLEAR CONSCIENCE

The difference is explained by the midfielder’s own decision to give up a significant part of what he would have been entitled to receive, choosing to consider only the period up to November of last year, when he suffered a sudden illness during exams at CT da Barra Funda, later diagnosed as vasovagal syncope.

Which seems nothing more than fair. Those fighting for the higher amounts were the people managing Oscar’s career, who insisted on the right to receive in full what was set out in the contract, valid until the end of 2027, estimated at around R$ 53 million.

THE CASE

One of the most debated topics by São Paulo’s new president, Harry Massis Júnior, with the professional football staff was the progress of negotiations over the termination of attacking midfielder Oscar’s contract. He did not report back for this season and had not yet officially announced his retirement precisely because he had not reached an agreement with the Morumbi club over the amounts still due to him under a contract that ran until the end of 2027.

As AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR has learned, Massis wanted the process to move faster. Upon receiving São Paulo’s accounts from CEO Márcio Carlomagno, the chairman and his allies noted that defining how much Oscar will cost the club monthly is essential to determine how much cash flow will be consumed and how much the club will be able to invest in the squad for the rest of the year.

Massis’ pressure falls mainly on the legal and financial departments, since the saga over the termination of the former No. 8’s contract still seems far from a resolution. In fact, at this moment the two sides have disagreements over the matter.

AMT has already revealed that, according to Oscar and his camp’s calculations, São Paulo owes him approximately R$ 62 million, including portions of salary, image rights, and signing bonuses.

In at least three meetings held since December, all while Tricolor was still chaired by Julio Casares, Oscar showed himself willing to split the amount into more than 24 monthly installments. But the Morumbi club disputed the figure. Since then, the legal and financial departments have been combing through the contract and the accounts in detail to verify whether the amount is correct.

The midfielder’s lawyers argue that Casares may have acknowledged the debt when he suggested that Oscar receive the installments as salary in a possible managerial internship role he would carry out in Cotia. Oscar wants to remain in football after retiring, and it would be a way to stay at São Paulo while preparing for the new role.

The opening created by the former president, however, was ignored at the request of the former No. 8 himself, who does not want fights or conflicts and accepted the timeframe of the internal audit in order to know São Paulo’s answer.

In fact, also at Oscar’s request to his lawyers, there is thus far a consensus between the parties that the attacking midfielder and the club will simply part ways amicably, that is, with no penalty payment from either side. And that he will waive what he would have been entitled to receive from this month onward for the remainder of the contract.

FAMILY PRESSURE

Oscar’s decision to hang up his boots came after he suffered vasovagal syncope on November 11.

At first, Oscar would only return to work when the squad reported back for the 2026 preseason. But São Paulo’s board maintains its position of leaving the decision of when and how to return to training entirely in his hands.

It would also be more time for the No. 8 to decide whether or not to retire, as his family wants.

Oscar was hospitalized in a hospital in the west zone of São Paulo city after suffering a complication with cardiac alterations during exams carried out at CT da Barra Funda. Oscar even fainted and lost consciousness during a physical evaluation activity.

An extensive investigation carried out at the hospital confirmed that the player had an episode of vasovagal syncope. Stable and clinically well throughout the period he was hospitalized, the athlete remains on a medical rest schedule for the next few days.

Once the scare had passed, there was a consensus inside Tricolor that there is absolutely no rush or pressure for the return of its midfielder. Oscar will remain away from activities for as long as he feels necessary and will have the club’s full support in his decision.

The same goes for the future. São Paulo officials have not raised the subject of ending his career with the No. 8 at any point. Officially or not, the stance is the same: Oscar has a contract until the end of 2027, the priority now is his recovery not only physically but emotionally, and the decision is strictly personal.

On São Paulo’s side, the order is to keep things contractually as they are, with no changes to clauses or values.

“He still has two more years on his contract, and we will give him whatever time he needs for his recovery and to think about what is best for him. The important thing is that it was nothing serious and he is already with his family. Our priority is to see him well. There is no reason for any discussion beyond that. Above all, we respect what Oscar means and his importance to São Paulo,” a source from São Paulo’s football leadership told AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR, asking not to be identified.

Signed at the start of the season, Oscar has two goals and five assists in the 21 matches he played for São Paulo. Sources close to the player consulted by the report indicate that his family’s request is for him to hang up his boots. But the matter has not been discussed again since he was discharged from the hospital, partly as a way of not putting pressure on him.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.