Former Chelsea player Oscar retires from soccer after heart issue

SAO PAULO (AP) — Former Chelsea midfielder Oscar has retired from soccer five months after being admitted to the hospital with a heart issue, Brazilian club Sao Paulo said on Saturday.

Sao Paulo said the 34-year-old Oscar finalized the termination of his contract with the team this week. The deal was set to run until the end of 2027.

Oscar hasn’t played for Sao Paulo since experiencing vasovagal syncope — a common cause in fainting after a sudden drop in blood pressure or heart rate — in November, requiring surgery. He collapsed during preseason testing and was reportedly unconscious for about two minutes. Sao Paulo said at the time he “presented a complication with cardiac changes.”

Oscar returned to his boyhood club on a free transfer late in 2024 after a long spell in China.

“I wanted to do more for São Paulo, I wanted to play more,” Oscar said in a club statement. “I think I had both the footballing ability and the age to play more, but unfortunately this happened. Now I’m going to retire and continue supporting São Paulo, continue my life as a fan.”

Oscar won one Europa League title and two Premier League trophies with Chelsea, which he joined in 2012.

He moved to Shanghai in the middle of Chelsea’s 2016-17 season for a transfer fee reported to be $73 million. He won three Super League titles in China and became a fan favorite in Asia.

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