Edgar Davids
The dreadlocked Dutch midfielder whose ferocious tackles, iconic goggles, and relentless engine made him a cult hero at clubs like Ajax, Juventus, and Barcelona.
Born 1973 (age 53)·Dutch footballer and manager·Birthday: March 13·Generation X
Biography
Edgar Davids won the 1995 Champions League with Ajax, wearing protective goggles for glaucoma and dreadlocks that made him instantly recognizable. His tenacious marking and aggressive style earned the nickname 'The Pitbull.' He operated as a box-to-box midfielder, winning possession and launching attacks with equal vigor. After Ajax, he played for AC Milan, Juventus, Barcelona, and Inter Milan. For the Dutch national team, he helped reach the 1998 World Cup semi-finals and Euro 2000 semi-finals. Davids redefined the defensive midfielder role by combining technical flair with combativeness.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Edgar was born in 1973, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Edgar Was Born
The biggest hits of 1973
#1 Movie
The Exorcist
Best Picture
The Sting
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Edgar's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1973Born
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1978Started school
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1986Became a teenager
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Could drive
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1991Could vote
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Turned 21
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2003Turned 30
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 40
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 50
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 53 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the UEFA Champions League with Ajax in 1995 as part of a talented young squad.
- Earned three Serie A titles with Juventus during a highly successful stint in Italy.
- Was a key member of the Netherlands squad that reached the semi-finals of both the 1998 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2000.
- Later served as a joint-head coach of the Netherlands national team alongside Louis van Gaal in 2020.
Did You Know?
His distinctive goggles were prescribed due to glaucoma, a condition he was diagnosed with in 1999.
Davids once had a brief but memorable player-coach role at English club Barnet in the lower leagues.
He made a surprise return to playing in 2020 at age 47 for a Dutch amateur side, Brielle.
He appeared in the 2004 film 'Ocean's Twelve' in a cameo role.
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