Oscar has revealed that he saved his entire salary from his time in the Chinese Super League, with his family living off match bonuses instead.
The former Chelsea midfielder spoke about his remarkable financial discipline during an appearance on The Obi One Podcast alongside former Blues team-mate John Obi Mikel.
Oscar told Mikel: “I put my entire salary into a separate account and never touched it once. My family and I lived off the match bonuses because they were already huge.”
Chelsea sold the Brazilian to Shanghai SIPG in January 2017 for around £60 million, a fee that set an Asian transfer record and ranked as the seventh-highest deal of all time.
The move made Oscar one of the highest-paid footballers on the planet, with the midfielder reportedly earning around £400,000 per week throughout his contract.
He stayed in China for eight years, almost double the length of his time at Stamford Bridge, before leaving to rejoin Sao Paulo and retiring barely a year after that.
Oscar was never shy about admitting the move was financially driven, explaining his humble beginnings in Brazil as a major factor in his decision.
Speaking to Copa90 and Rabona shortly after joining Shanghai, he said: “I came from a social background in Brazil that is very poor. We didn’t have anything. This is the fruit of my work and when I earn this, it is because I conquered it.”
Oscar also reflected on the broader appeal of Chinese football for top players at the time, saying: “All the foreign players who come here are at a really high level. China has incredible financial power and sometimes makes offers that players can’t refuse.”
A return to Europe was something Oscar long dreamed of, with Barcelona reportedly offering him a six-month contract during the COVID-19 pandemic when the Chinese Super League was postponed.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Oscar said: “Of course, it’s a dream to come back to Chelsea because everyone knows the passion that I have for this club; It’s the same passion I have for Shanghai.”
He continued: “I have a lot of good memories at Chelsea, and I also have a lot of good memories of Shanghai. But I’m still here, and I still have dreams to play for this team.”
Oscar added: “So, if there was something where I could come back to Europe or Chelsea, we would need to talk. For now, I’m here, and I’m trying to win the title here again.”
Despite those ambitions, a return to Europe ultimately never materialised, and Oscar ended his playing career after his stint back in Brazil with Sao Paulo.
