Edgar Davids was the easiest midfielder in the world to spot. The protective goggles, worn because of glaucoma, made him look like a comic-book hero, and he played with a similar disregard for the usual limits of the job.
He was a defensive midfielder who could dribble, a combination rarer than it sounds. Davids could beat three players and then tackle the fourth, and his ferocious challenges earned him the nickname the Pitbull. He was, in effect, a midfielder who could do everything.
Ajax, then Juventus
The trophies came early. Davids won the Champions League with Ajax in 1995, as part of that famous young side. At Juventus he became the midfield enforcer and won Serie A titles in 1998, 2002 and 2003.
For the Netherlands he earned 74 caps and was a key player at Euro 2000 and at several World Cups.
The goggles made him famous and turned him into one of the most recognisable figures in the sport. The football is what kept him on lists like this one. It is not every day a player gets remembered for his eyewear and his tackling in the same sentence.
Tomorrow: number 22.
