Former Brazil national football team international Oscar dos Santos Emboaba Júnior has been forced to retire from professional football at the age of 34 due to a heart-related condition, his club São Paulo FC confirmed on Saturday.
The attacking midfielder was hospitalised for five days in November after fainting during a routine medical examination and has not featured in any matches since then. Medical evaluations later revealed a condition known as vasovagal syncope, a sudden drop in blood pressure and heart rate that reduces blood flow to the brain.
Following medical advice, Oscar decided to call time on his career despite having a contract with São Paulo that was set to run until 2027.
“I am ending a career here in São Paulo that has taken me practically to the four corners of the world,” he said in a statement released by the club.
Oscar enjoyed a successful spell at Chelsea FC, where he spent five seasons and won two Premier League titles as well as the UEFA Europa League.
He later moved to Shanghai Port FC in 2017, winning three Chinese Super League titles during his time in China before returning to São Paulo in 2025, the club where he began his professional career.
On the international stage, Oscar earned 48 caps for Brazil, winning the FIFA Confederations Cup and representing his country at the 2014 FIFA World Cup on home soil.
His retirement marks the end of a notable career that saw him play at the highest levels of club and international football.
