Golden Age - Center Backs

Domingos - "My interest in football was initially a necessity. I come from a poor family. I took my first steps right here in Bangu, working in a factory, as a mosquito swatter, on the pavement of Avenida Rio Branco, until the opportunity arose in football."
The pursuit of records is one of the main characteristics of modern sports. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to the specialization and rationalization of bodies. Despite this, there are other dimensions that can be extracted from body techniques that mark an era by complexifying play through the new and the original. Domingos da Guia, nicknamed Divino, was one of these historical agents who shone in local, regional, national and international championships. 
The spectacular achievements of Domingos da Guia, a black, working-class player from the suburbs of Bangu, in Rio de Janeiro, can only be fully understood when compared to the playful practices of other individuals. The popular “Domingada”, which many saw as more than just a preview of a play, was likened to a dance, a very modern dribble. Thus, it cannot be separated from the adversities of the black body in a country that suffered centuries of slavery.

 

 

Hapgood - Arsenal have been blessed with a number of great captains through the years. One of the first, and still regarded a century later as one of the best, was Eddie Hapgood.
Arsenal trainer Tom Whitaker said of him; “Hapgood was an extraordinary youngster. Confident beyond his years, some people found him insufferable at times. But it was the supreme confidence in his own ability that made him such a great player".
The only thing holding Hapgood back at this stage of his career seemed to be that he was often knocked down when heading the ball. Whittaker decided his lack of pounds (he weighed 132lbs, 60kg at the time), was the reason; “We had to build him up. At that time he was a vegetarian but I decided he should eat meat”.
In 1938 Hapgood led England on their European tour which included what became an infamous game in Berlin. In his autobiography Stanley Matthews recalled how the team were getting ready for the match when an official came into the dressing room and informed them that they would be expected to give the facist salute. "The dressing room erupted”, said Matthews. "There was bedlam. All the England players were livid and totally opposed to this, myself included. Eddie Hapgood, normally a respectful and devoted captain, wagged his finger at the official and told him what he could do with the Nazi salute, which involved putting it where the sun doesn’t shine”.