Radja Nainggolan

Early life

Nainggolan was born in Antwerp, the son of Lizy Bogaerts, a Belgian of Flemish ethnicity who raised him with his three half brothers and his twin sister, and Marianus Nainggolan, an Indonesian of Batak background and member of the Batak Christian Protestant Church who left them with nothing when he was just a child.

Nainggolan's mother died in 2010, and after her death he tattooed two large wings on his back with her dates of birth and death. He was raised Roman Catholic and speaks Dutch, English and Italian fluently, as well as understanding French.

Piacenza

Nainggolan began playing football with Tubantia Borgerhout at the age of 5. Seven years later he moved to the youth team of Germinal Beerschot, where he remained until 2005, when he was noted by Alessandro Beltrami and moved to Italian Serie B club Piacenza. He made his senior debut on 28 May 2006, during a home defeat 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

On 27 January 2010, Nainggolan was loaned to Cagliari with a buyout clause. He made his Serie A debut on 7 February, playing seven minutes in a 0–3 away loss against Inter Milan. After making seven appearances (including being sent off after a few minutes of entering the field on 28 February against Chievo Verona), the club announced it had acquired 50% of his rights in a co-ownership deal.

In the first part of 2010–11, under manager 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 level, from a right-footed volley in a 2–0 home win over Bologna. On 31 January 2011, Cagliari redeemed the second half of his contract from Piacenza.

In early October 2013, after three seasons as an undisputed first-choice, Nainggolan agreed to an extension until 2016. His performances with the Rossoblu made him especially popular among their fans, who named him in a top 11 list comprising the best players in the history of the Sardinian club.

Roma

On 7 January of the following year, 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. He made his debut two days later, starting in a 1–0 home win over Sampdoria for the Coppa Italia which qualified to the quarter-finals. In the same competition, he also helped dispose of Juventus in said stage by playing the full 90 minutes 12 days later.

On 22 February 2014, Nainggolan scored his first goal for the capital side, grabbing the 1–0 winner against Bologna. His second, which arrived on 19 April against Fiorentina (same result) ensured his team automatic qualification to the UEFA Champions League.

Nainggolan signed a permanent deal with Roma in the 2015 off-season, for €9 million. On 6 July of the following year he renewed his contract until June 2020, extending it a further year the following summer.

International career

Nainggolan earned his first cap for Belgium on 29 May 2009, against Chile in the Kirin Cup. On 5 March 2014 he scored his first goal for the Red Devils, in a 2–2 friendly draw with Côte d'Ivoire.

On 13 May 2014, Nainggolan was selected in a standby list for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He did not make the final cut, however.

Nainggolan was an undisputed starter for the Marc Wilmots-led Red Devils during the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying campaign, scoring in an away draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina and a 4–1 win in Andorra as the team qualified for the tournament for the first time in 16 years.

Nainggolan was selected to the finals in France. He made his debut in the tournament on 13 June, playing 62 minutes in a 0–2 loss against Italy. After featuring as a second-half substitute in the second game, a 3–0 defeat of the Republic of Ireland, 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; in the quarter-finals, he netted from 25 meters to put his country ahead against Wales after 12 minutes, but in an eventual 1–3 loss.

Style of play

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 strong and versatile midfielder, who is capable of playing in several midfield positions; possessing good vision, passing range, and technique, he is often used as playmaker in front of his team's defensive line. He is also known for his attacking drive, ability to get forward and eye for goal from midfield, courtesy of his powerful and accurate striking ability from distance, as well as his movement and ability to make late attacking runs off the ball; his talent, energy, skill, and wide range of attributes led to him being used in a more offensive role as an advanced playmaker behind the two forwards during his time with Cagliari.

Due to his pace, stamina, tenacity and aggressive tackling, as well as his willingness and ability to chase down and press opponents off the ball, Nainggolan is also a good ball-winner, and has frequently been used in a box-to-box role; he is also capable of playing as a winger. After his move to Roma, he was mainly deployed as a central or defensive midfielder in a 4–3–3 formation, and, on occasion, even as a right-back; following the arrival of Luciano Spalletti, however, he returned to playing in a more advanced role as an attacking midfielder or second striker in a 4–2–3–1 or a 3–4–2–1 formation, he has also been used in a more central, attacking role, on occasion.

Club

International

International goals

Individual