FORMER CHELSEA MIDFIELDER OSCAR IN INTENSIVE CARE WITH HEART ISSUE
Former Chelsea midfielder Oscar has been hospitalised after suffering a heart problem during pre-season training in Brazil, with fears growing that he could be forced to retire from the game.
The 34-year-old, who played for Chelsea between 2012 and 2017, was rushed to hospital after falling ill on Tuesday while training with São Paulo. The club said he “presented an incident with cardiological changes”.
Brazilian outlet Globo reported on Tuesday that Oscar is being treated in the intensive care unit at the Einstein Hospital Israelita in São Paulo. Globo reported that Oscar was doing interval tests on an exercise bike when he was taken ill, and that he was unconscious for around two minutes.
Staff from the hospital, who were already on site for the pre-season training camp, were able to quickly treat Oscar before he was taken away in an ambulance.
In a statement, São Paulo said: “During tests carried out on Tuesday morning, as part of the preparation for the 2026 pre-season, athlete Oscar presented an incident with cardiological changes, being promptly attended to by the club’s professionals and the medical team from Einstein Hospital Israelita, who were present at the site.
“The player was then taken to the hospital, where he is currently in stable condition and remains under observation for further tests to clarify the diagnosis.”
Globo reported that Oscar has been monitoring a heart issue for “several months”, saying that an abnormality was revealed by tests in August following a back injury.
Oscar is contracted to São Paulo until 2027 but there could be a termination of his contract as a result of this medical incident, with reports in Brazil saying the player will end his career if he feels there is any chance of suffering further health complications.
The attacking midfielder started his career at São Paulo and returned to the club in December last year. He previously spent seven years in China, after leaving Chelsea in 2017.
Oscar made more than 200 appearances for Chelsea in all competitions, scoring 38 goals. He was an important part of their Premier League-winning side in 2014-15, making 28 league appearances. He made 48 appearances for Brazil between 2011 and 2015.
2025-11-12T11:25:44Z
