Radja Nainggolan ( give birth 4 May 1988 ) is a belgian professional football player who plays as a midfielder for Belgian First Division A club Antwerp. Nicknamed Il Ninja, [ 4 ] he spent all but his entire professional career in Italy, representing Piacenza, Cagliari, Roma and Inter Milan and making over 430 Serie A appearances. He was named four straight times in the Serie A Team of the Year.
Reading: Radja Nainggolan
A Belgium international for eight years, Nainggolan played 30 times for his nation ( scoring six goals ) and represented it at Euro 2016 .
early life [edit ]
Nainggolan was born in Antwerp, the son of Lizy Bogaerts, a belgian of flemish ethnicity who raised him with his three one-half brothers and his twin sister, [ 5 ] [ 6 ] and Marianus Nainggolan, an indonesian of Batak background and member of the Batak Christian Protestant Church. [ 7 ] His father abandoned the family when Radja was still a child. [ 8 ] Nainggolan ‘s mother died in 2010, [ 9 ] and after her end he tattooed two big wings on his back with her dates of birth and death. [ 8 ] [ 10 ] He was raised Roman Catholic and spoke Dutch, English, french and italian fluently. [ 11 ] [ 12 ] [ 13 ]
Club career [edit ]
Piacenza [edit ]
Nainggolan began playing football with Tubantia Borgerhout at the historic period of 5. [ 14 ] Seven years late he moved to the youth team of Germinal Beerschot, where he remained until 2005, [ 15 ] when he was noted by Alessandro Beltrami and moved to italian Serie B golf club Piacenza. He made his senior debut on 28 May 2006 during a home kill to Arezzo, being inserted permanently into the first team the following season. In the 2008–09 campaign, Nainggolan became a starter for the Emilia-Romagna side, playing 38 of 42 games and scoring three goals, which contributed to them avoiding relegation .
Cagliari [edit ]
On 27 January 2010, Nainggolan was loaned to Cagliari with a buyout clause. [ 16 ] He made his Serie A debut on 7 February, playing seven minutes in a 3–0 away passing against Inter Milan. [ 17 ] After making seven appearances ( including being sent off a few minutes after entering the field on 28 February against Chievo ), [ 18 ] the club announced it had acquired 50 % of his rights in a co-ownership softwood. [ 19 ] In the beginning part of 2010–11, under coach Pierpaolo Bisoli, Nainggolan started often due to the absence of Daniele Conti. On 31 October 2010 he scored his first goal in the italian top division, from a right-footed volley in a 2–0 base acquire over Bologna. [ 20 ] On 31 January 2011, Cagliari redeemed the second one-half of his abridge from Piacenza. [ 21 ] In early on October 2013, after three seasons as an undisputed first-choice, [ 22 ] Nainggolan agreed to an extension until 2016. [ 23 ] His performances with the Rossoblu made him specially popular among their fans, who named him in a top 11 list comprising the best players in the history of the sardinian club. [ 24 ]
gypsy [edit ]
Nainggolan playing for Roma in 2014 On 7 January 2014, Nainggolan was loaned to fellow league team Roma until the end of the campaign for a fee of € 3 million, with an option to purchase 50 % of his rights in the ensuing summer for €6 million. [ 25 ] [ 26 ] He made his debut two days late, starting in a 1–0 family victory over Sampdoria for the Coppa Italia which qualified to the quarter-finals. [ 27 ] In the same contest, he besides helped dispose of Juventus in said stage by playing the full 90 minutes 12 days later. [ 28 ] On 22 February 2014, Nainggolan scored his foremost finish for the capital side, grabbing the 1–0 winner against Bologna. [ 29 ] His second, which arrived on 19 April against Fiorentina ( like result ) ensured his team automatic pistol qualification to the UEFA Champions League. [ 30 ] Nainggolan signed a permanent deal with Roma in the 2015 off-season, for €9 million. [ 31 ] On 6 July of the follow year he renewed his contract until June 2020, [ 32 ] [ 33 ] extending it a far year the following summer. [ 34 ]
Inter Milan [edit ]
On 26 June 2018, Nainggolan signed with Inter Milan for €38 million ( €24 million plus Davide Santon and Nicolò Zaniolo, valued at €14 million ) [ 35 ] until June 2022. [ 36 ] He scored in his league debut on 1 September, helping the visitors defeat Bologna 3–0, [ 37 ] and good over a calendar month former he netted the counterweight in a 2–1 comeback win at PSV in the Champions League group stage to become the first-ever belgian to score for the baseball club in the contest. [ 38 ] [ 39 ] In August 2019, Nainggolan returned to Cagliari on a temper -long loan. [ 40 ] He was named the league ‘s MVP for November, with two long-range goals and three assists in three matches to help his team achieve fourth place. [ 41 ] Nainggolan returned to the Sardegna Arena on 31 December 2020, again on loanword. [ 42 ]
antwerpen [edit ]
On 10 August 2021, Inter Milan announced that Nainggolan ‘s contract with the club has been terminated by reciprocal accept. [ 43 ] Four days by and by, the 33-year-old signed a biennial conduct with Antwerp. [ 44 ] He made his debut in his country ‘s First Division on 22 September, starting in the 4–2 home victory against Genk. [ 45 ]
International career [edit ]
due to his beget ‘s inheritance, Nainggolan was eligible to represent both Indonesia and Belgium, but ultimately chose to play for the latter state. [ 46 ] He took character at the 2007–09 International Challenge Trophy finals, a tournament which the under-23 team won. [ 47 ]
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Nainggolan earned his first senior cap on 29 May 2009, against Chile in the Kirin Cup. [ 48 ] He scored his first goal for the Red Devils on 5 March 2014, in a 2–2 friendly draw with Côte d’Ivoire. [ 30 ] On 13 May 2014, Nainggolan was selected in a understudy number for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. [ 49 ] [ 50 ] He did not make the final examination cut, however. Nainggolan was a newcomer for the Marc Wilmots -led side during the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying campaign. [ 51 ] He scored in an aside draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina, [ 52 ] and a 4–1 succeed in Andorra as the team qualified for the tournament for the first time in 16 years. [ 53 ] Nainggolan was selected to the finals in France. [ 54 ] He made his debut in the tournament on 13 June, playing 62 minutes in a 2–0 loss against Italy. [ 55 ] After featuring as a second-half utility in the moment plot, a 3–0 kill of the Republic of Ireland, [ 56 ] he returned to the starting XI against Sweden, scoring the game ‘s only goal at the Stade de Nice after a counter-attack to send his country to the knockout stage as second base ; [ 57 ] in the quarter-finals, he netted from 25 metres to put his nation ahead against Wales after 12 minutes, but in an eventual 3–1 loss. [ 58 ] On 26 August 2017, aged 29, Nainggolan announced that he would be retiring from external football after not being selected for Belgium ‘s approaching World Cup qualifiers, and stated that he would be focusing on his club career with Roma. [ 59 ] [ 60 ] however, he was selected by new coach Roberto Martínez for friendlies against Mexico and Japan in November, [ 61 ] entirely to pull out due to injury. [ 62 ] On 21 May 2018, after once again not being picked for the approaching World Cup in Russia, Nainggolan retired from the international scenery. [ 63 ]
expressive style of maneuver [edit ]
Considered by many experts to be one of the best and most complete midfielders in Europe, due to his ability to aid his team both offensively and defensively, Nainggolan is a quick, dynamic, hard-working, physically impregnable and versatile midfielder, who is capable of playing in respective midfield positions ; possessing good vision, passing range, and proficiency, he is often used as a playmaker in front of his team ‘s defensive line. [ 64 ] [ 65 ] [ 66 ] [ 67 ] [ 68 ] [ 69 ] He is besides known for his attacking drive, ability to get forward and center for goal from midfield, courtesy of his brawny and accurate strike ability from distance, a well as his movement and ability to make recently attack runs off the ball ; his endowment, energy, skill, and wide scope of attributes led to him being used in a more dysphemistic function as an gain playmaker behind the two forwards during his time with Cagliari. [ 65 ] [ 66 ] [ 70 ] [ 71 ] [ 72 ] [ 73 ] [ 74 ] [ 75 ] [ 76 ] [ 77 ] due to his footstep, stamina, doggedness and aggressive harness, arsenic well as his willingness and ability to chase down and press opponents off the ball, Nainggolan is besides a good ball-winner, and has frequently been used in a box-to-box character ; [ 64 ] [ 65 ] [ 66 ] [ 70 ] [ 78 ] [ 79 ] he is besides capable of playing as a winger. [ 80 ] After his move to Roma, he was chiefly deployed as a central or defensive midfielder in a 4–3–3 formation or in the “ mezzala “ function, and on occasion even as a right-back ; following the arrival of Luciano Spalletti, however, he returned to playing in a more promote role as an attacking midfielder or second striker in a 4–2–3–1 or a 3–4–2–1 formation. [ 65 ] [ 70 ] [ 78 ] [ 79 ] [ 81 ] [ 82 ] [ 83 ] He has besides been used in a more cardinal or attacking function on occasion, [ 71 ] or even as a assumed attack midfielder. [ 84 ] In addition to his footballing abilities, Nainggolan has besides been praised for his leadership in the media, [ 85 ] although he has besides drawn criticism for his unmanageable character and his participation in respective controversial incidents off the pitch. [ 86 ]
personal life [edit ]
Nainggolan married Claudia Lai, [ 87 ] with the couple being parents to daughters Aysha ( b. 2012 ) and Mailey ( barn. 2016 ). [ 88 ] His twin baby, Riana, is besides a football player. [ 89 ] On 10 July 2019, Lai confirmed in an Instagram post that she had been diagnosed with cancer and would begin chemotherapy treatment. [ 90 ] On 8 October 2020, it was announced that Nainggolan tested positive for COVID-19 amid its pandemic in Italy. [ 91 ]
controversy [edit ]
Nainggolan smoked cigarettes during his playing career. [ 92 ] On New Year ‘s Eve 2018, he became the national of firm controversy in Italy after he posted a video on Instagram excommunicate, drinking alcohol and fume. [ 93 ]
career statistics [edit ]
club [edit ]
- As of match played 22 September 2021[94][95]
Club
Season
League
National Cup
Europe
Other
Total
Division
Apps
Goals
Apps
Goals
Apps
Goals
Apps
Goals
Apps
Goals
Piacenza
2005–06
Serie B
1
0
0
0
—
—
1
0
2006–07
1
0
0
0
—
—
1
0
2007–08
10
0
1
0
—
—
11
0
2008–09
38
3
1
0
—
—
39
3
2009–10
21
1
1
0
—
—
22
1
Total
71
4
3
0
—
—
74
4
Cagliari
2009–10
Serie A
7
0
0
0
—
—
7
0
2010–11
36
2
2
0
—
—
38
2
2011–12
37
1
2
0
—
—
39
1
2012–13
34
2
1
0
—
—
35
2
2013–14
17
2
1
0
—
—
18
2
Total
131
7
6
0
—
—
137
7
Roma (loan)
2013–14
Serie A
17
2
3
0
—
—
20
2
Roma
2014–15
35
5
2
0
9
0
—
46
5
2015–16
35
6
0
0
7
0
—
42
6
2016–17
37
11
4
2
12
1
—
53
14
2017–18
31
4
0
0
11
2
—
42
6
Total
155
28
9
2
39
3
—
203
33
Inter Milan
2018–19
Serie A
29
6
1
0
6
1
—
36
7
2020–21
4
0
0
0
1
0
—
5
0
Total
33
6
1
0
7
1
—
41
7
Cagliari (loan)
2019–20
Serie A
26
6
3
0
—
—
29
6
2020–21
22
1
0
0
—
—
22
1
Total
48
7
3
0
—
—
51
7
Antwerp
2021–22
Belgian Pro League
4
0
0
0
3
0
—
7
0
Career total
432
52
22
2
49
4
0
0
514
58
International [edit ]
National team
Year
Apps
Goals
Belgium
2009
1
0
2011
1
0
2012
1
0
2013
1
0
2014
4
2
2015
9
2
2016
9
2
2017
3
0
2018
1
0
Total
30
6
Belgium score listed first, score column indicates score after each Nainggolan goal. [ 96 ]
Honours [edit ]
golf club [edit ]
Inter Milan