Oscar (footballer, born 1991) facts for kids
![]() Oscar lining up for Brazil in 2014
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Full name | Oscar dos Santos Emboaba Júnior | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Date of birth | 9 September 1991 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Americana, Brazil | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Position(s) | Attacking midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team
|
São Paulo | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Number | 8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1998–2004 | União Barbarense | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2004–2008 | São Paulo | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2008–2010 | São Paulo | 12 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2010–2012 | Internacional | 57 | (15) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2012–2017 | Chelsea | 131 | (21) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2017–2024 | Shanghai Port | 179 | (58) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2025– | São Paulo | 17 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
International career‡ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2011 | Brazil U20 | 15 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2012 | Brazil U23 | 6 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2011–2015 | Brazil | 48 | (12) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16 July 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17 November 2015 |
Oscar dos Santos Emboaba Júnior (born on September 9, 1991), known simply as Oscar, is a Brazilian professional footballer. He plays as an attacking midfielder for the Brazilian club São Paulo.
Oscar started his football journey at São Paulo. After some contract issues, he moved to Internacional. His great performances there led to him joining the famous English club Chelsea in 2012. He played for Chelsea for four and a half years. In 2017, he moved to the Chinese Super League club Shanghai SIPG (now called Shanghai Port). He spent seven years in China before returning to his first club, São Paulo, in 2025.
Oscar has also played for the Brazilian national team. He played for the Under-20 team and in the 2012 London Olympics. In 2011, he made history by scoring three goals in the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup final. This was the first time anyone scored a hat-trick in that final. He was part of the Brazil team that won the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and finished fourth in the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Starting His Football Journey
Oscar was born in Americana, Brazil. He began his youth career at União Barbarense. He quickly showed great talent from a young age.
He made his first professional appearance for São Paulo in August 2008. This was in a game for the Copa Sudamericana tournament. He played his first league game in March 2009. That year, he played 11 times for the team in the top Brazilian league.
Playing for Internacional
Oscar joined Internacional in 2010. There was a disagreement with his old club, São Paulo, about his contract. Eventually, the two clubs reached an agreement in 2012.
His first season at Internacional was affected by an injury. In February 2011, he scored his first goal for the club. This was in a Copa Libertadores match, a big South American club competition. He scored two more goals in that tournament. He finished the 2011 season with 10 goals in 26 games.
Time at Chelsea F.C.
In July 2012, Chelsea agreed to sign Oscar. He officially joined the club on a five-year contract. He made his first appearance for Chelsea in August 2012.

Oscar started his first game for Chelsea in the Champions League in September 2012. He scored two amazing goals against Juventus. One of his goals curled beautifully over the goalkeeper. Even though the game ended in a 2–2 draw, he was named the best player of the match. He later said that playing in the Champions League was a dream come true for young players in Brazil.
He quickly became a regular player for Chelsea. He scored more goals in the Champions League that season. In May 2013, Oscar played the whole game when Chelsea won the Europa League final. This was his first trophy with the London club. His goal against Juventus was even chosen as Chelsea's "Goal of the Season."
In the 2013–14 season, Oscar continued to score important goals. He scored in Chelsea's first league game against Hull City. He also had a fantastic game against Southampton, scoring one goal and helping with two others. In March 2014, he scored two goals in Chelsea's big 6–0 win over Arsenal.

Before the 2014–15 season, Oscar changed his shirt number from 11 to 8. He said he was happy to give number 11 back to Didier Drogba, a Chelsea legend. He also hoped to be as successful as Frank Lampard, who used to wear number 8. In November, he signed a new contract with Chelsea. He scored two goals in Chelsea's 5–0 win against Swansea City in January 2015.
In the 2015–16 season, Oscar scored Chelsea's first goal. Some fans were upset with Oscar and other players. They believed their dip in form led to manager José Mourinho losing his job. In January 2016, Oscar scored three goals in one game against Milton Keynes Dons in the FA Cup. In October 2016, he played his 200th game for Chelsea.
Moving to Shanghai Port
On December 23, 2016, Oscar moved to the Chinese Super League team Shanghai Port. This transfer was a record for Asian football at the time. He reportedly signed a four-year contract with a very high weekly salary. Oscar explained that Chinese clubs offered amounts that players could not refuse. He also said he was thinking about his family's future.
Oscar quickly made an impact for his new club. He scored on his official debut in February 2017. In April 2017, he missed two penalty kicks in a Champions League match. In June 2017, during a league game, Oscar kicked the ball at opposing players. This caused a small fight, and he was later banned for 8 matches. In his second season, Oscar scored 12 goals, helping Shanghai win the league for the first time.
In December 2019, Oscar signed a new five-year contract. He became the team captain after his teammate Hulk left. In January 2022, there were rumors he might return to Europe and join FC Barcelona. He missed the start of the 2022 season for family reasons. He returned to China later that year.
In March 2023, Oscar shared his dream of returning to Chelsea one day. He told Talksport that he has a lot of passion for both Chelsea and Shanghai. In September 2024, he told a Brazilian newspaper that he would likely leave Shanghai at the end of the year. He said his family wanted to be closer to home. Oscar played his final game for Shanghai Port on December 3, 2024.
Returning to São Paulo
On December 25, 2024, Oscar made an exciting return to São Paulo, signing a three-year contract. He expressed his happiness to be back in Brazil and playing for the club where he started his career. He thanked fans for their support and promised to do his best for the team.
International Career
Youth Team Success
On August 20, 2011, Oscar scored three goals in the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup final. Brazil won the match against Portugal. This made him the first player ever to score a hat-trick in a FIFA U-20 World Cup final.
2012 London Olympics
Oscar was chosen for the Brazilian team at the 2012 London Olympics. He played a key role in Brazil's games. In the opening match against Egypt, he helped set up two goals. In the next game against Belarus, Oscar scored Brazil's third goal. He also provided two assists in the semi-final win against South Korea. Brazil went on to win the silver medal, losing to Mexico in the final.
Senior National Team

Oscar received his first call-up to the senior Brazilian team in 2011. In June 2012, he scored his first goal for Brazil in a friendly match against Argentina. He also scored a penalty kick and assisted three goals in an 8–0 win against China.
Oscar played in all of Brazil's games in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup. Brazil won the trophy by beating Spain 3–0 in the final. Oscar assisted the second goal in that final.
In the opening match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, Oscar scored a goal against Croatia. Brazil won that game 3–1. In Brazil's semi-final match against Germany, which they lost 7–1, Oscar scored Brazil's only goal. He was later named to the FIFA World Cup All-Star Team.
Oscar was not in Brazil's squad for the 2015 Copa América due to an injury. He was last called up to the national team in October 2016. In February 2025, Oscar was included in a large list of players for upcoming World Cup qualifying matches, showing he is still considered for the national team.
Playing Style

Oscar is known as a very talented and promising player. He is often compared to other great playmakers like Mesut Özil and Kaká. He is quick, agile, and very skilled with the ball. He has excellent dribbling and a great first touch.
As an attacking midfielder, Oscar has fantastic vision. He can make very accurate short passes to his teammates. This allows him to create scoring chances. He is also good at moving into dangerous areas near the opponent's goal. This helps him score goals and set up others.
Oscar can play in different attacking midfield roles. He can play in the center or on either side of the field. He is known for his ability to find teammates in tight spaces. He can also create chances in difficult situations. His energy and hard work also allow him to play in deeper midfield roles.
Personal Life
Oscar's father passed away in a car accident in 1994. Oscar was very young at the time. He grew up in a poor family. He credits his mother, Sueli, for his success. She raised three children by herself, making and selling clothes to earn money.
Oscar is married to his childhood sweetheart, Ludmila. They got married in 2011. Oscar is a Catholic and prays before each game. When he moved to London, he started taking English classes. Oscar and Ludmila have a daughter named Júlia, born in 2014, and a son named Caio, born in 2016.
Career Statistics
Club Appearances
Club | Season | League | State league | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
São Paulo | 2008 | Série A | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | ||
2009 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 13 | 0 | ||||
Total | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | — | 14 | 0 | ||||
Internacional | 2010 | Série A | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | |
2011 | 26 | 10 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 44 | 13 | |||
2012 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | 6 | 1 | — | 20 | 6 | ||||
Total | 36 | 11 | 21 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | 12 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 70 | 19 | |||
Chelsea | 2012–13 | Premier League | 34 | 4 | — | 7 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 15 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 64 | 12 | |
2013–14 | 33 | 8 | — | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 11 | |||
2014–15 | 28 | 6 | — | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 0 | — | 41 | 7 | ||||
2015–16 | 27 | 3 | — | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 8 | |||
2016–17 | 9 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 11 | 0 | |||||
Total | 131 | 21 | — | 16 | 7 | 12 | 1 | 39 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 203 | 38 | |||
Shanghai Port | 2017 | Chinese Super League | 22 | 3 | — | 6 | 3 | — | 12 | 3 | — | 40 | 9 | |||
2018 | 29 | 12 | — | 3 | 0 | — | 8 | 4 | — | 40 | 16 | |||||
2019 | 28 | 9 | — | 3 | 2 | — | 10 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 14 | ||||
2020 | 16 | 5 | — | 1 | 1 | — | 6 | 0 | — | 23 | 6 | |||||
2021 | 22 | 5 | — | 3 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 25 | 5 | |||||
2022 | 3 | 1 | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 5 | 2 | ||||||
2023 | 30 | 9 | — | 2 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 33 | 9 | |||||
2024 | 29 | 14 | — | 4 | 1 | — | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 16 | ||||
Total | 179 | 58 | — | 24 | 8 | — | 43 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 248 | 77 | ||||
São Paulo | 2025 | Série A | 5 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | — | 20 | 2 | ||
Career total | 362 | 90 | 33 | 6 | 41 | 15 | 12 | 1 | 98 | 24 | 9 | 0 | 555 | 136 |
International Appearances
National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
Brazil | 2011 | 2 | 0 |
2012 | 10 | 4 | |
2013 | 16 | 4 | |
2014 | 16 | 3 | |
2015 | 4 | 1 | |
Total | 48 | 12 |
- Scores and results list Brazil's goal tally first.
No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | 9 June 2012 | MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, United States | ![]() |
|
|
Friendly |
2. | 10 September 2012 | Estádio do Arruda, Recife, Brazil | ![]() |
|
|
|
3. | 11 October 2012 | Swedbank Stadion, Malmö, Sweden | ![]() |
|
|
|
4. |
|
|||||
5. | 21 March 2013 | Stade de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland | ![]() |
|
|
|
6. | 9 June 2013 | Arena do Grêmio, Porto Alegre, Brazil | ![]() |
|
|
|
7. | 12 October 2013 | Seoul World Cup Stadium, Seoul, South Korea | ![]() |
|
|
|
8. | 15 October 2013 | Beijing National Stadium, Beijing, China | ![]() |
|
|
|
9. | 5 March 2014 | Soccer City, Johannesburg, South Africa | ![]() |
|
|
|
10. | 12 June 2014 | Arena Corinthians, São Paulo, Brazil | ![]() |
|
|
2014 FIFA World Cup |
11. | 8 July 2014 | Estádio Mineirão, Belo Horizonte, Brazil | ![]() |
|
|
2014 FIFA World Cup |
12. | 26 March 2015 | Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France | ![]() |
|
|
Friendly |
Trophies and Awards

Internacional
- Recopa Sudamericana: 2011
Chelsea
- Premier League: 2014–15, 2016–17
- Football League Cup: 2014–15
- UEFA Europa League: 2012–13
Shanghai Port
- Chinese Super League: 2018, 2023, 2024
- Chinese FA Cup: 2024
- Chinese FA Super Cup: 2019
Brazil U20
- South American Youth Football Championship: 2011
- FIFA U-20 World Cup: 2011
Brazil U23
- Summer Olympics Silver Medal: 2012
Brazil
- FIFA Confederations Cup: 2013
Individual Awards
- FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 2014
- Chelsea Goal of the Year: 2012–13 vs. Juventus, 2014–15 vs. Queens Park Rangers
- Chinese Super League Team of the Year: 2018
- AFC Champions League OPTA Best XI: 2019
See also
In Spanish: Oscar (futbolista brasileño) para niños