Oscar (footballer, born 1991) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Oscar

Oscar lining up for Brazil in 2014
Personal information
Full name	Oscar dos Santos Emboaba Júnior
Date of birth	(1991-09-09) 9 September 1991 (age 33)
Place of birth	Americana, Brazil
Height	1.79 m
Playing position	Attacking midfielder
Club information
Current club	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	1	(0)
National team
2011	Brazil U20	15	(3)
2012	Brazil U23	6	(1)
2011–2016	Brazil	48	(12)
Honours Men's football Representing  Brazil FIFA Confederations Cup Winner 2013 Brazil Olympic Games Silver 2012 London Team FIFA U-20 World Cup Winner 2011 Colombia South American Youth Football Championship Winner 2011 Peru
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 23 January 2025. † Appearances (Goals).

Oscar dos Santos Emboaba Júnior (born on 9 September 1991), known simply as Oscar, is a famous Brazilian football player. He plays as an attacking midfielder for the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club São Paulo.

Oscar started his football journey at São Paulo. Later, he moved to Internacional after some disagreements about his contract. His great performances for Internacional and for his country led him to sign with Chelsea in England. After playing for Chelsea for four and a half years, he moved to the Chinese Super League club Shanghai SIPG (now called Shanghai Port) in 2017 for a very large transfer fee. He spent seven years playing in China before returning to his first club, São Paulo.

Oscar has also played for the Brazilian national team. He represented his country at the under-20 level, in the 2012 London Olympics, and for the senior team. In 2011, Oscar made history by scoring three goals in the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup final against Portugal. This made him the first player ever to score a hat-trick in a FIFA U-20 World Cup final! People often compared his playing style to another famous Brazilian player, Kaká. Oscar joined Brazil's senior team in 2011 and helped them win the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup. He also played a key role when Brazil finished fourth in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, both held in Brazil.

Club Career Highlights

Starting His Journey

Hernanes and Oscar training for São Paulo in 2009

Oscar was born in Americana, Brazil. He started playing football at a young age in the youth academy of União Barbarense. He quickly showed how talented he was.

He made his first professional appearance for São Paulo on 28 August 2008. He played a full game in a match against Atlético Paranaense. His first game in Brazil's main league, the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, was on 13 March 2009. He came on as a substitute in a big 5–0 win.

Time at Internacional

Oscar joined Internacional after a disagreement with São Paulo about his contract. After some discussions, a deal was made in May 2012, allowing Oscar to play for Internacional.

His first season at Internacional was a bit tough due to injuries. But on 23 February 2011, he scored his first goal for the club. It was in a Copa Libertadores match, helping his team win 4–0. He scored two more goals in that competition. His first goals in Brazil's domestic league came on 5 June, when he scored two goals in a 4–2 win. He ended that season with 10 goals in 26 games.

Playing for Chelsea

On 16 July 2012, Chelsea in England agreed to sign Oscar for a large fee. On 25 July, Chelsea officially announced that Oscar had signed a five-year contract. He made his first appearance for Chelsea on 19 August 2012, coming on as a substitute in a game against Wigan Athletic.

Oscar playing against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League, October 2012

Oscar started his first game for Chelsea on 19 September in a Champions League match against Juventus. He scored two amazing goals in that game, one of which curled beautifully over the Juventus goalkeeper. Even though the game ended in a 2–2 draw, he was named the best player of that match. He later said that playing in the Champions League was a dream come true for young boys in Brazil.

He quickly became a regular starter for Chelsea, playing alongside other creative midfielders like Juan Mata and Eden Hazard. He continued to score in the Champions League, including a goal from 40 yards out against Shakhtar Donetsk.

On 14 February 2013, Oscar scored a crucial goal against Sparta Praha in the Europa League. On 15 May, Oscar played the entire game as Chelsea won the Europa League final against Benfica 2–1. This was his first trophy with the London club. The very next day, his amazing goal against Juventus in the Champions League was chosen as Chelsea's "Goal of the Season."

Oscar preparing a free kick in a UEFA Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain on 8 April 2014

In the 2013–14 season, Oscar scored Chelsea's first goal in their opening game against Hull City. On 1 January 2014, he had a fantastic game against Southampton, scoring one goal and helping with two others in a 3–0 win. He also scored two goals in Chelsea's big 6–0 victory over Arsenal in March.

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, and hoped to be as successful as Frank Lampard who used to wear number 8. In November, he signed a new contract with Chelsea. On 17 January 2015, Oscar scored two goals in the first half of Chelsea's 5–0 away win against Swansea City. He was later hospitalized after a head injury in a game against Arsenal but was released the next day.

In the 2015–16 season, Oscar scored Chelsea's first goal in a 2–2 draw against Swansea. On 31 January, Oscar scored three goals in the first half of an FA Cup match against Milton Keynes Dons, helping Chelsea win 5–1.

On 26 October 2016, Oscar played his 200th game for Chelsea in a League Cup match against West Ham United.

Moving to Shanghai Port

On 23 December 2016, the Chinese club Shanghai SIPG (now Shanghai Port) announced they had agreed to sign Oscar from Chelsea. The transfer was completed in January 2017 for a reported £60 million, which was a record for an Asian transfer at the time. Oscar signed a four-year contract and became one of the highest-paid footballers in the world. Oscar explained that he chose to play in China because of the amazing financial offers that players sometimes cannot refuse, and he was thinking about his family's future. He also mentioned that he hoped to return to Europe later in his career to play at a high level.

Oscar quickly made an impact for his new club. He scored on his official debut on 7 February 2017 in a 3–0 win. In April 2017, he scored his first goal in the Chinese league. In his second season, Oscar scored 12 goals, helping Shanghai win the league title for the first time ever.

In December 2019, Oscar signed a new five-year contract. He became the team captain after his teammate Hulk left the club.

In January 2022, Oscar was linked with a possible return to Europe, with FC Barcelona showing interest. He missed the start of the 2022 season due to family reasons. He returned to China later but then went back to Brazil during a league break. He wanted to join Flamengo on loan, but Shanghai Port did not allow the deal.

In March 2023, Oscar shared his dream of returning to Chelsea one day. He told Talksport, "Of course, it's a dream to come back to Chelsea because everyone knows the passion that I have for this club."

In September 2024, Oscar told a Brazilian newspaper that he would likely leave Shanghai at the end of the year because he wanted to be closer to his family in Brazil. On 21 October 2024, he was involved in all three goals as Shanghai beat Central Coast Mariners 3–2 in a Champions League match.

Oscar played his final game for Shanghai Port on 3 December 2024.

Returning to São Paulo

On 25 December 2024, Oscar made a happy return to São Paulo, signing a three-year contract. He said he was excited to be back in Brazil and play for the club where he started his career. He thanked fans for their support and promised to do his best to achieve great things with the team.

International Career

Youth Teams

On 20 August 2011, Oscar scored three goals in the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup final against Portugal. This amazing performance made him the first player to score a hat-trick in a FIFA U-20 World Cup final match!

2012 Olympics

Oscar (wearing number 10) representing Brazil at Old Trafford during the 2012 Olympics.

Oscar was chosen to be part of the Brazilian team for the 2012 London Olympics. He played a big role in Brazil's 3–2 win over Egypt, setting up two goals. In Brazil's next game, a 3–1 victory over Belarus, Oscar scored Brazil's third goal. He also provided two assists in the semi-finals as Brazil beat South Korea 3–0. Brazil went on to win the silver medal after losing to Mexico in the final.

Senior National Team

Oscar received his first call-up to the senior Brazilian national team in a 0–0 draw against Argentina. In June 2012, Oscar scored his first international goal in a friendly match against Argentina. He also scored a penalty kick against China and helped with three assists in an 8–0 win. A month later, he scored two goals against Iraq.

On 25 March 2013, Oscar played against Russia at Stamford Bridge, wearing Brazil's famous number 10 shirt.

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, and Oscar assisted the second goal.

Oscar celebrates moments after scoring a goal against Croatia, in the first match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

In the opening match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup on 12 June, Oscar scored a goal in injury time against Croatia, helping Brazil win 3–1. In Brazil's semi-final match against Germany, which they lost 7–1, Oscar scored Brazil's only goal. He played in every game of the tournament and was chosen for the FIFA World Cup All-Star Team.

Due to an injury, Oscar was not part of Brazil's squad for the 2015 Copa América. He was last called up to the national team in October 2016.

How Oscar Plays

Oscar is known as a very talented and promising player. People often compare him to players like Mesut Özil and his former Brazilian teammate Kaká because of his great playmaking skills. He is quick, agile, and very good with the ball, with excellent dribbling and a superb first touch. Oscar is very creative in his runs and has great vision, allowing him to make precise passes to his teammates.

He is also very good at building up attacks higher up the field. His clever runs, skills, passing range, and ability to score goals make him a threat near the opponent's goal. While he often played as a second striker or a central attacking midfielder, at Chelsea, he played in all three attacking midfield positions. Oscar is known for his vision and ability to create chances in tough situations. He was a key player in Chelsea's Europa League win in 2013.

Oscar's energy, hard work, and ability to pressure opponents made him a favorite of his former Chelsea manager, José Mourinho. He can also play in deeper midfield positions or even as a box-to-box midfielder.

Personal Life

Oscar's father passed away in a traffic accident in 1994 when Oscar was very young. Oscar said he wished his dad could have seen him play football as a child. He also shared that his family grew up in poverty. Oscar credits his football success to his mother, Sueli, who raised three children by herself by making and selling clothes.

Oscar is married to his childhood sweetheart, Ludmila, who is a Japanese Brazilian. They got married in 2011. Oscar is a Catholic and prays before each game to feel calm and confident. 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

International

Scores and results list Brazil's goal tally first.

List of international goals scored by Oscar

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	9 June 2012	MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, United States	Argentina	2–2	3–4	Friendly
2.	10 September 2012	Estádio do Arruda, Recife, Brazil	China	8–0	8–0
3.	11 October 2012	Swedbank Stadion, Malmö, Sweden	Iraq	1–0	6–0
4.				2–0
5.	21 March 2013	Stade de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland	Italy	2–0	2–2
6.	9 June 2013	Arena do Grêmio, Porto Alegre, Brazil	France	1–0	3–0
7.	12 October 2013	Seoul World Cup Stadium, Seoul, South Korea	South Korea	2–0	2–0
8.	15 October 2013	Beijing National Stadium, Beijing, China	Zambia	1–0	2–0
9.	5 March 2014	Soccer City, Johannesburg, South Africa	South Africa	1–0	5–0
10.	12 June 2014	Arena Corinthians, São Paulo, Brazil	Croatia	3–1	3–1	2014 FIFA World Cup
11.	8 July 2014	Estádio Mineirão, Belo Horizonte, Brazil	Germany	1–7	1–7	2014 FIFA World Cup
12.	26 March 2015	Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France	France	1–1	3–1	Friendly

Trophies and Awards

Oscar (left) and former teammates Diego Costa, Willian and Filipe Luís celebrate winning the 2015 Football League Cup final with Chelsea

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

Images for kids

• 

  Oscar on the ball for Brazil in 2014.

See also

In Spanish: Oscar (futbolista brasileño) para niños