Did you earn that much in China? Oscar to return to Brazil to reject Saudi offer of 21.9 billion in annual salary

Dec 26, 2024

◇photo source=São Paulo SNS

◇photo capture=São Paulo homepage

Don't money matter anymore.

It has been claimed that Oscar, who returned to his native Brazil and joined Sao Paulo, rejected Saudi Arabia's offer. Brazilian journalist Jorge Nicola said on the 25th (Korea time) 'Oscar rejected the Saudi team's offer before joining Sao Paulo'

Oscar, who left Chelsea in 2017 to join Shanghai High River, recently agreed a contract with Sao Paulo until 2027. The annual salary is 3.76 million dollars (about 5.4 billion won).

The Chinese soccer newspaper reportedly offered Oscar 96 million rials (about 21.9 billion won) per year. It is the third highest salary in the Brazilian league and four times the salary Oscar receives in Sao Paulo. Oscar was then expected to accept Saudi Arabia's offer because it was a huge amount, but he flatly refused and chose to return to his home country. The reason is that he wanted to live in Brazil with his family and that he has already earned money that he can spend his whole life in Shanghai.

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Celebrity Networth, an asset statistics site, valued Oscar's net worth at 120 million dollars. `Oscar earned $185 million (W270.3 billion) from his eight seasons in China,' the soccer magazine commented. `If Oscar and his family are not lavish on their salary in Sao Paulo, there seems to be no reason to worry about the rest of their lives.'

Sao Paulo is the team where Oscar started his career as a professional player. After growing up with the Sao Paulo youth team, he made his professional debut in 2008. After moving to Inter in 2010, he won the South American Youth Championship and the Under-20 World Cup the following year and moved to Chelsea in 2012 to begin his Premier League career.

Then he suddenly chose to go to China in December 2016. At that time, Chinese soccer was desperate to bring in world stars with the help of 'Hwangsa Money'. The transfer fee offered by Shanghai to Chelsea to recruit the Oscar was 60 million pounds (currently about 109 billion won).

◇photo source=São Paulo SNS

Since then, Oscar has defended Shanghai despite the decline of Chinese soccer in the wake of the real estate recession and the direct hit of COVID-19. However, since the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Oscar has not been called by the Brazilian national team. Playing in China, which is far lower than Europe and South America, was pointed out as the direct cause.

Sao Paulo finished sixth out of 20 Brazilian Seria teams in 2024. A number of players who have played for Brazil's national team, including Lucas Moura and Luis Gustave, are playing. The Oscars seem to have no regrets about Asia anymore.

ppark@sportschosun.com