Oscar retires at 34 after heart stopped during training

Former Chelsea and Brazil midfielder Oscar dos Santos Emboaba Júnior announced his retirement from professional football on Saturday, ending a career that spanned more than a decade after being diagnosed with vasovagal syncope following a terrifying collapse at his club's training ground.

"My Heart Stopped for About Two and a Half Minutes"

Oscar, 34, revealed the severity of the November incident in an emotional social media statement. "I took the test, ended up fainting, my blood pressure dropped, and my heart stopped. Then they performed CPR for more than two minutes. I only remember fainting, nothing else," he said.espn

The episode occurred on November 11 during a routine stress test at Sao Paulo's training facility. Oscar was hospitalized for five days after collapsing while on an exercise bike, requiring immediate admission to intensive care. Medical evaluations confirmed vasovagal syncope, a condition caused by a sudden drop in blood pressure, heart rate, and cerebral blood flow.onefootball+2

Oscar described having an out-of-body experience during the ordeal. "Everyone says that when you're about to die, you leave your body. I had sensations like that. You're unconscious, you're in a very good dream. It's very fast, I could see my son saying: 'Come back, dad!'" he said.espn

A Career Cut Short

Oscar had rejoined Sao Paulo, his boyhood club, on a three-year contract in January 2025 after spending eight seasons with Shanghai Port in China. He scored two goals and provided five assists in 21 appearances for the club before the medical emergency ended his playing days.sports.yahoo+1

His contract, which was set to run until December 31, 2027, was terminated by mutual agreement earlier this week, with Oscar waiving some of the money owed to him, according to ESPN.espn+1

"It's difficult, I wanted to do more for São Paulo. I think I had the footballing ability and the age, I could have endured more. But unfortunately this happened and now I'm going to retire," Oscar said.espn

From Sao Paulo to Stamford Bridge and Back

Oscar's career took him from Sao Paulo's youth academy to Internacional before a £25 million move to Chelsea in 2012. At Stamford Bridge, he won two Premier League titles and the Europa League during five-and-a-half seasons. He earned 48 caps for Brazil's national team and secured three Chinese Super League titles with Shanghai Port.nampa+2

"I conclude my career here at Sao Paulo, a journey that has taken me to numerous places around the globe," Oscar said. "Now, I will retire and remain a supporter of Sao Paulo, embracing my life as a fan."sports.yahoo