Edgar Davids

Edgar Steven Davids, born on March 13, 1973, is a retired Dutch professional footballer who had a remarkable career. He started his journey with Ajax, where he won numerous domestic and international titles. Davids then played for AC Milan in Italy, followed by a successful stint with Juventus. He was later loaned to Barcelona in 2004. After that, he had spells with Inter Milan and Tottenham Hotspur before returning to Ajax. Dealing with injuries, he made a comeback to competitive football briefly with Crystal Palace before retiring at 37. In 2012, he took on the role of player-manager at Barnet, a club in the English League Two, but resigned in January 2014. Davids represented the Netherlands 74 times at the international level, scoring six goals, and participated in the FIFA World Cup once and the UEFA European Championship three times.


Davids was widely regarded as one of the greatest and most iconic players of his generation. He was known for his distinctive dreadlocked hair and the protective goggles he wore due to glaucoma. Nicknamed "The Pitbull" by Louis van Gaal, Davids was characterized by his combative, energetic, creative, and skillful style of play. His marking ability, aggression, and tough tackling earned him this moniker. In 2004, he was selected by Pelé to be part of the FIFA 100, a list honoring the world's greatest living footballers.


After being turned down twice before, Davids began his football journey at the age of 12 with Ajax. He made his debut for the first team on September 6, 1991, in a 5–1 victory over RKC Waalwijk at home. During his time with the Amsterdam club, Davids contributed to three Eredivisie titles and tasted continental success with the 1992 UEFA Cup and the 1995 UEFA Champions League triumphs. However, in the 1996 UEFA Champions League final, he experienced a setback when he missed Ajax's first penalty in the shoot-out, which ultimately led to their defeat against Juventus. It was during his stint at Ajax that Davids earned the nickname "The Pitbull" from manager Louis van Gaal, recognizing his aggressive and determined style of play in the team's midfield.


At the beginning of the 1996–97 season, Davids made a move to Italy, joining AC Milan on a free transfer under the "Bosman ruling," alongside teammate Michael Reiziger. However, Milan had a disappointing season, finishing 11th in Serie A after changing managers twice. Davids also faced personal setbacks, as he broke his leg in a match against Perugia on February 23, 1997. Despite his injury, he struggled to regain his place in the team and eventually joined league rivals Juventus in December 1997 for a reduced transfer fee of 9 billion Italian.


At Juventus, Davids quickly established himself as a key member of the team's midfield, often playing on the left flank or in the center as a defensive midfielder. He formed a formidable partnership with French playmaker Zinedine Zidane. Over the course of six successful years in Turin, Davids contributed significantly to Juventus' Serie A title wins in 1998, 2002, and 2003, as well as two Supercoppa Italiana triumphs and the UEFA Intertoto Cup. Marcello Lippi, Juventus' manager at the time, once described Davids as "my one-man engine room."
Davids also made a significant impact in European competitions, playing a key role as Juventus reached the final of the 2002–03 Champions League, although they ultimately lost to Milan on penalties. Prior to this, he had helped Juventus reach the Champions League final in 1998 and the semi-finals in the 1998–99 season. Additionally, Davids played a part in Juventus' run to the 2002 Coppa Italia Final.


Davids joined Barcelona on loan from Juventus in January 2004. His arrival came at a crucial time for the club, as they were struggling in mid-table and newly appointed manager Frank Rijkaard was facing significant pressure. Davids played a pivotal role in Barcelona's resurgence, helping them finish second in La Liga behind Valencia that season.
His impact at Barcelona has been widely recognized as the catalyst for the club's subsequent dominance in Spanish and European football during the mid-to-late 2000s. Following Davids' arrival, Barcelona went on to win La Liga the following season after a five-year drought without the league title. They also achieved a remarkable La Liga and Champions League double in the 2005–06 season, solidifying their status as one of Europe's elite clubs. Davids' contribution to Barcelona's success during this period is often highlighted as instrumental in their rise to prominence.


Davids rejoined Ajax on 28 January 2007 and made his debut against club rivals Feyenoord on 4 February. His return proved valuable for Ajax, as he played a crucial role in their pursuit of the Dutch championship, narrowly missing out to PSV on the final day of the league by a single goal. Additionally, Davids played a significant part in Ajax's cup campaign, helping them secure the KNVB Cup by scoring the final penalty in a thrilling shoot-out against AZ.
However, Davids suffered a setback before the start of the 2007–08 season when he broke his leg in a pre-season friendly against Go Ahead Eagles, which sidelined him for approximately three months. Despite this injury, he continued to be an influential figure for Ajax.Davids announced his departure from Ajax when his contract expired on 30 June.


On 6 December 2008, Davids played against the LA Galaxy in an exhibition match held at Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland, New Zealand, as part of an Oceania XI All-Star team, despite not having any affiliation with Oceania in his career. Davids entered contract negotiations with English Championship club Leicester City on 22 October 2009, but after failing to make a decision for over a week, the club withdrew their offer on 30 October.


Davids made his debut for the Netherlands national team on 20 April 1994 in Tilburg, in a 1–0 defeat to the Republic of Ireland. He quickly became an integral part of the squad for the next decade, although he did not win any major tournaments with the Oranje.During UEFA Euro 1996, Davids was sent home by then-manager Guus Hiddink for making critical comments in a radio interview. Nonetheless, he remained appreciated by Hiddink, who included him in the Dutch squad for the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France. Davids' most notable performance for the national team came in the second-round match against FR Yugoslavia, where he scored the winning goal in the last minute, helping the Dutch team advance to the next round. The Netherlands eventually finished fourth overall, and Davids was named to the official FIFA Team of the Tournament.


Davids began wearing protective glasses following surgery in his right eye caused by glaucoma, which developed in 1995 due to eye injuries. Davids first wore the glasses on 4 September 1999 in a friendly match against Belgium. However, his career faced a setback when he was suspended by FIFA on 17 May 2001 after testing positive for the banned anabolic steroid nandrolone.

References

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