Seven weeks after his official retirement announcement, Oscar sat down for an extensive interview with China Media Group (CMG) on May 22, 2026. It provided his first detailed public account of the frightening days surrounding his diagnosis and the immediate emotional fallout.
In the CMG interview, Oscar described the moment he understood his playing days were finished. "When the doctor looks at you with serious eyes and mentions your heart, football stops mattering," he explained. "My children are growing up. My wife Ludmila needs a husband, not a headline. I wanted to play until I was 37 or 38, perhaps return home to Brazil for one final season. But walking away on my own two feet is the greatest victory I could ask for."
He addressed the persistent criticism surrounding his early departure from European football in 2016. Oscar noted that providing complete security for his family, while building deep community ties in Shanghai, brought fulfillment that trophies alone could never match. Rather than expressing bitterness over his sudden exit, he expressed gratitude for leaving the game healthy, wealthy, and lucid.
