The first association with Edgar Davids' name is the famous midfielder and the characteristic image of the man with goggles. His career has gone through several peaks, and many people associate him with the aggressive approach of his playing style and high energy levels. Born on March 13, 1973, in Paramaribo, Suriname, he played for clubs that can pride themselves on such players.

Ajax

Being recruited as a youngster, Edgar Davids made his debut at Ajax at the age of 18 in 1991 and showed his skills as a highly competitive midfielder. He could both break the opponents' attack and drive through the defensive line, adding his strong sense of the situation and stamina to his technical abilities.

In his career for Ajax, Davids took advantage of his aggressiveness, high stamina levels and game understanding to become one of the best midfielders of the Dutch championships. During the peak period of Ajax's performance, when the team won the UEFA Champions League title in 1995 and earned fame across Europe, Edgar was among its players. It was also the time when fans began admiring this tough-minded midfielder, and his opponents had difficulty playing against him.

European clubs and national team

At the start of his European club career, when he joined AC Milan, the Italian League appeared to be a good choice because of its tactical approach, which perfectly matched Davids' style. Being a tough defender and attacker at once, he had enough power to play a decisive role in the middle of the pitch for his team.

Besides wearing goggles to protect his eyes after eye surgery for glaucoma, Davids earned his unique status because of his game approach. It combined strength and aggressiveness, so his opponents knew what to expect when playing against Edgar Davids.

This tough-minded midfielder also made an important contribution as a representative of the Dutch national football team. Fans could admire his skills in a team rich in talented players, because he helped to find stability in the middle of the pitch.

Late years and conclusion

After his career at Ajax, the midfielder played for Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur, and Crystal Palace, and at last he returned to his alma mater. He retired from his club career playing in the Amsterdam club, but also took part in an unusual step, accepting the position of player-manager at Barnet in 2012. This career move showed that besides toughness and a high competitive level, Edgar Davids had the football mind of a manager.

Davids appears to be one of those personalities that fascinate football fans. His career shows an interesting mix of various components which resulted in an extraordinary style, so that he does not need to be a playmaker to influence a game and a constant scorer to be popular. All his career from Dutch peak period to the Italian leagues until management proved his unique style of the midfield enforcer.