São Paulo bring Oscar's holiday forward, return set for 2026 | OneFootball

The São Paulo board is expected to officially announce this week the decision to bring forward the vacation of attacking midfielder Oscar, who has been away from daily activities at the Barra Funda training center as he recovers from the vasovagal syncope he suffered.

As AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR has learned, the decision is based on further reassuring the 34-year-old player during his recovery, easing the pressure for answers about his return, and granting him more time for the rest recommended by doctors.

At first, Oscar was expected to return to work only when the squad reconvenes for the 2026 pre-season. However, the São Paulo board maintains its stance of leaving the decision of when and how to return to training in his hands.

This would also give the number 8 more time to decide whether or not to retire, as his family wishes.

Oscar was hospitalized in a hospital in the west zone of São Paulo after experiencing a complication with cardiac alterations during exams at the Barra Funda training center. Oscar even fainted and lost consciousness during a physical evaluation activity.

An extensive investigation at the hospital confirmed that the player had an episode of vasovagal syncope. Stable and clinically well throughout his hospital stay, the athlete will continue to follow the medical rest program for the coming days.

After the scare, there is consensus within Tricolor that there is no rush or pressure for the midfielder’s return. Oscar will stay away from work for as long as he deems necessary and will have the club’s full support in his decision.

The same applies to his future. São Paulo executives have not discussed retirement with the number 8 at any point. Officially or not, the stance is the same: Oscar has a contract until the end of 2027, and the priority now is his recovery, both physical and emotional, and the decision is strictly personal.

On São Paulo’s part, the order is to continue contractually as is, with no changes to clauses or values.

“He has two more years on his contract and we’ll give him as much time as necessary for his recovery and for him to think about what’s best for him. The important thing is that it wasn’t anything serious and he’s already with his family. Our priority is to see him well. There’s no reason for any discussion beyond that. Above all, we respect what Oscar means and his importance to São Paulo,” said a source from the São Paulo football board to AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR, who asked not to be identified.

Signed at the start of the season, Oscar has two goals and five assists in the 21 games he has played for São Paulo. Sources close to the player consulted by the report indicate that his family is asking him to hang up his boots. But the subject has not been discussed further since he was discharged, as a way not to pressure him.

THE ILLNESS

Vasovagal syncope is a common fainting episode caused by an exaggerated reaction of the vagus nerve to a trigger, such as standing for a long time, emotional stress, seeing blood, physical exertion, or feeling hot. This causes a temporary drop in heart rate and blood pressure, resulting in loss of consciousness. Early symptoms may include weakness, paleness, sweating, dizziness, and nausea.

Considered a problem that is usually easy to treat, doctors prescribe lifestyle changes, such as improving hydration, moderating salt intake, avoiding long periods without meals, avoiding emotional triggers, and even using compression stockings to help blood circulation. Medication is only given in severe cases.

The concerning aspect, from Oscar’s professional point of view, is that there is a medical recommendation not to stand for long periods during recovery. In other words, simply put, the midfielder is barred from training or practicing his profession for a period after being discharged.

“Obviously I don’t know the case in depth, but observing from afar, given Oscar’s profession, the recommendation is prolonged rest with short periods of physical activity in the first months. But more detailed exams would be needed to know if circulation is affected,” explained cardiologist Ricardo Neves, professor at the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul and member of the South Mato Grosso Academy of Medicine, to AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR.

In the bulletin released by the Morumbi club, it is stated that Oscar will undergo an electrophysiological study. Neves explains that the result will be decisive in determining whether the player can return to physical activities in a short period of time.

“This is not related to whether or not he continues his career, but rather to a short-term return to training and games. It’s important to stress that,” Neves added.

According to the cardiologist, it is a circulatory problem, which does not have a direct impact on the heart. “It does not mean the person has heart failure or another cardiac problem that would prevent them from living their life normally,” he pointed out.

PLAYER REASSURES FANS

The attacking midfielder Oscar spoke out for the first time after being hospitalized on Tuesday (11) for experiencing a complication with cardiac alterations during São Paulo’s physical tests at the Barra Funda training center.

Through his social media, the number 8 sought to reassure fans, who were anxious about the news.

“Thank you very much for the messages and prayers. Everything will be fine, God willing,” he wrote.

Since news of his hospitalization broke, Oscar has received numerous messages of support from São Paulo fans and even from supporters of other clubs. Fans of Internacional, the club he also played for in Brazil, even posted videos praying for the player’s recovery.

Reassured by the board, who visited Oscar throughout Tuesday, São Paulo players are expected to visit their teammate at the hospital this afternoon. According to AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR, Oscar even made a video call with all the players, who were extremely anxious about what happened.

THE CASE

Hospitalized in a São Paulo hospital after suffering a complication with cardiac alterations, midfielder Oscar is expected to terminate his contract with São Paulo after being medically discharged and officially announce his retirement.

The information was confirmed to AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR by three sources: one from the upper echelons of São Paulo football and two close to the 34-year-old player, who has not played since the victory over Corinthians in the Brazilian Championship on July 19.

According to AMT, it was right after that match that the number 8 underwent evaluation exams for a fracture of three lumbar vertebrae, which revealed cardiac problems. At that time, at Oscar’s own request, the case was not disclosed, becoming information shared off the record by doctors and spread only by São Paulo influencer pages.

Meanwhile, Oscar underwent a routine of monitoring exams that indicated improvement in his clinical condition and allowed him to be cleared to train with the squad. But the number 8 ended up getting injured again, suffering a muscle injury in his left calf.

Oscar then consulted Hernán Crespo’s staff to understand the next steps. He was advised to understand his case first before making a decision. Shaken by criticism from fans, questions about his high salary, and reassured by exams indicating clinical improvement, the number 8 then gave up on his family’s request for him to retire.

This morning, however, Oscar fainted during physical tests and left the Barra Funda training center by ambulance. The incident shocked everyone present, from players to staff.

The number 8 remains hospitalized awaiting test results that will allow doctors to determine the origin of the cardiac alteration. But his condition is stable.

As per usual 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.

NUMBER 8’S BAD LUCK AND THE DIFFICULTY OF REGAINING IDOL STATUS

As AMT revealed three weeks ago, the internal atmosphere at São Paulo was already pessimistic about Oscar’s contribution to the team in this final stretch of the Brazilian Championship, in which the team is fighting for a spot in the next Copa Libertadores.

Even before the new injury, there was already internal caution at the Morumbi club regarding their player. Oscar has not played for Tricolor since the victory over Corinthians at Morumbi on July 19 in the Brazilian Championship. On that occasion, the midfielder suffered a fracture of three lumbar vertebrae and missed 16 matches recovering from the injury.

In the last two games, the number 8 was listed by coach Hernán Crespo but ended up not playing, still lacking better physical condition. It’s another chapter in the attacking midfielder’s history of disappointments since his return to São Paulo after 15 years.

In practical and absolute numbers, Oscar suffered his fifth injury since the start of the year. This equals the total number of injuries he suffered in the 12 years he spent abroad, between 2012 and 2024, playing for Chelsea in England and Shanghai Port in China.

Adding the four previous injuries, the number 8 spent 175 days recovering, available for 30 of the 57 matches played by the club this season. He made 23 appearances, 19 as a starter and only nine for the full ninety minutes. In total, he played 1,591 minutes, equivalent to 31% of the team’s total playing time.

This is such a low rate that any debate about the exact value of his salary becomes irrelevant: it doesn’t matter if it’s closer to one million reais or three million, the cost-benefit is poor in any scenario, except perhaps if the contract were for a newly promoted youth player.

And it sparks internal debates at Morumbi. As AMT has learned, there are quite a few people close to president Julio Casares who support the idea of an amicable termination with the player for next year, easing the payroll. However, the subject is currently avoided by the football board.

In a press conference, Casares believes that Oscar’s signing, under the terms agreed, was carried out responsibly. São Paulo shares the responsibility of paying the player’s salary with Superbet, the club’s main sponsor.

“I believe that Oscar, like other players, was a responsible signing. When Oscar chose São Paulo, he was being sought by two other major clubs in Brazil. The fact that he got injured is within a sporting context, as other players also have such occurrences. We hope he will be in our squad recovering and can bring the joy for which he was signed,” he said.

“He was signed with a partnership in which just under half was provided by the sponsor. All this gives us the certainty that the renewal with Superbet also contributed to Oscar’s arrival. I believe Oscar’s arrival was highly responsible, as have all the signings. Obviously, some don’t work out at the moment. The less obvious ones work out over time, like Marcos Antonio. Signings have a degree of subjectivity. Over time, the dynamics answer the question of successes and failures, which sometimes depend on other factors,” the president continued.

Oscar has become the embodiment of what São Paulo swore to avoid: high investment and low return from names that symbolize the past. The recent history of players returning from China already indicated the risk: Alexandre Pato, Éder Citadini, Hernanes, and Miranda had spells with performances well below expectations—and, of these, only Pato escaped frequent injuries.

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