Edgar Davids

The Pitbull who defined an era of midfield grit and flair.

Edgar Steven Davids (born 13 March 1973) is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. Davids was nicknamed "The Pitbull" because of his marking ability, aggression, and hard tackling style of play, and is regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of his generation.

Quick Facts

Full name: Edgar Steven Davids
Born: 13 March 1973
Birthplace: Paramaribo, Suriname
Height: 1.69 m / 5 ft 7 in
Position: Midfielder
Total caps: 423
Total goals: 34

Lore & Background

Davids was born in Paramaribo, Suriname, of Afro-Surinamese descent with Jewish heritage from his mother. His cousin Lorenzo is also a footballer. He started his career at Ajax at age 12, making his debut in 1991. He won three Eredivisie titles, the 1992 UEFA Cup, and the 1995 UEFA Champions League with Ajax. He later played for AC Milan, Juventus, Barcelona (on loan), Inter Milan, Tottenham Hotspur, returned to Ajax, and had a brief spell with Crystal Palace. He was capped 74 times for the Netherlands, scoring six goals, and represented his country at the 1998 FIFA World Cup and three UEFA European Championships (1996, 2000, and 2004). He wore protective goggles due to glaucoma and was named in the FIFA 100 in 2004.

Reader's Guide

Davids was a defensive midfielder known for his marking, aggression, and hard tackling. At Juventus, he formed a notable midfield partnership with Zinedine Zidane and was described by manager Marcello Lippi as "my one-man engine room." His loan to Barcelona in January 2004 is cited as the catalyst for the club's later dominance. He also served as player-manager for Barnet in 2012, resigning by mutual agreement in January 2014.

Did You Know?

Davids missed Ajax's first penalty in the 1996 Champions League final shoot-out, which they lost to Juventus.
He was sent home from UEFA Euro 1996 after criticizing manager Guus Hiddink in a radio interview.
Davids scored the winning goal in the last minute of the 1998 World Cup second round match against FR Yugoslavia.
He began wearing protective glasses in 1999 after glaucoma surgery on his right eye.
In 2001, Davids was suspended by FIFA after testing positive for the banned anabolic steroid nandrolone.