Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Arthur Ferridge

Oscar: Former Chelsea star in hospital with heart issue after collapsing during training

Former Chelsea and Brazil midfielder Oscar is recovering in hospital after collapsing in training.

Oscar, a two-time Premier League champion with the Blues, currently plies his trade with boyhood club Sao Paolo FC after eight years in the Chinese Super League.

According to reports in Brazil, the 34-year-old collapsed during routine physical testing at the club's training ground.

A club statement confirmed: "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."

According to Globo, Oscar is now considering retirement despite being under contract until 2027.

Oscar has not appeared for Sao Paolo since July, when he started in a 2-0 win over Corinthians before being substituted due to back pain after just 15 minutes. A calf issue sustained in an October training session extended his absence.

Speaking in October, Sao Paolo head coach Hernan Crespo said of Oscar's recovery: "The truth is that he’s been out for two and a half months with a very serious injury, and he’s returning to training. A serious injury that hinders his walking and breathing, and now he’s returning gradually, with less contact.

"And I want to be patient with him because I want to have him for a long time, and there are no superheroes here. So, he needs to train, but playing in the Brazilian Championship or the Libertadores Cup is difficult.

"I take my hat off to Oscar, who is doing everything to come back, and I have to respect that. We all want to embrace him, for him to play, but not just any way."

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.