José dos Santos Lopes

Brazilian footballer José dos Santos Lopes (b. 1910/1911 – d. 1996) is recorded as having represented the Brazil national team. Records of his life and career are limited and sometimes inconsistent.

Overview

José dos Santos Lopes was a Brazilian footballer recorded as having been born either on 1 November 1910 or on 25 February 1911, and who died on 28 August 1996. He is noted in historical listings as a player who represented the Brazil national team. Beyond this basic outline, surviving public records and contemporary reports provide only partial information about his club career and playing position.

Key facts and records

Names and dates: sources differ on his exact birth date; death is generally cited as 28 August 1996.
International recognition: documented as a Brazil national team player in several historical compilations (national team records).
Domestic career: active in Brazil's football environment during the early to mid-20th century; detailed club lists are sparse (club records).

Context and career outline

Football in Brazil during the first half of the 20th century was rapidly professionalizing and producing players who would later become internationally famous. Many players from that era are primarily known through match reports, newspaper accounts and federation lists rather than comprehensive statistical databases. José dos Santos Lopes falls into this category: his inclusion in national team documentation indicates he reached a high level of play, but exact statistics such as number of appearances, goals, or principal clubs may vary between sources.

Historical notes and research challenges

Portuguese naming conventions and the commonality of names like José dos Santos make archival research difficult. Multiple athletes and public figures have similar names, and contemporary record-keeping was not standardized. As a result, biographical entries often note competing birth dates or incomplete career data. Researchers rely on match lineups, federation archives and period newspapers to piece together careers of players like Lopes.

Legacy and significance

Although not as widely remembered as some of Brazil's more famous stars, players who represented the national team helped build the country's early international reputation in football. Recognizing figures such as José dos Santos Lopes contributes to a fuller understanding of Brazil's sporting development and preserves the memory of athletes whose contributions were recorded in fragmentary form.