Radja Nainggolan

Piacenza

Nainggolan began playing football with Tubantia Borgerhout at the age of five. Seven years later, he moved to the youth team of Germinal Beerschot, where he remained until 2005 to move 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 3–0 away loss against Inter Milan. After making seven appearances (including being sent off a few minutes after entering the field on 28 February against Chievo), 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 division, 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 starter, Nainggolan agreed to an extension until 2016. His performances with the Rossoblu made him especially popular among their fans, and…

Due to his father's heritage, Nainggolan was eligible to represent both Indonesia and Belgium, but ultimately chose to play for the latter nation. He took part at the 2007–09 International Challenge Trophy finals, a tournament which the under-23 team won. Nainggolan earned his first senior cap on 29 May 2009, against Chile in the Kirin Cup. He scored his first goal for the Red Devils on 5 March 2014, 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. However, he did not make the final cut. Nainggolan was a starter for the Marc Wilmots-led side during the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying campaign. He scored 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 2–0 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 metres to put his country ahead against Wales after 12 minutes, but in an eventual 3–1 loss. On 26 August 2017, aged 29, Nainggolan announced that he would be retiring from international football after not…

Nainggolan was a dynamic and versatile midfielder, capable of playing in several positions; possessing good vision, passing range, and technique, he is often used as a 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 or in the "mezzala" role, 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 or attacking role on occasion, or even as a false attacking midfielder. In addition to his footballing abilities, Nainggolan has also been praised for his leadership in the media,…

Nainggolan was born in Antwerp, the son of Lizy Bogaerts, a Belgian woman who raised him with his three half brothers and his twin sister, and Marianus Nainggolan, an Indonesian of Toba Batak background and member of the Batak Christian Protestant Church. He was raised in Kiel, a working-class and multicultural neighbourhood of the city. His father abandoned the family when Nainggolan was still 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, French and Italian fluently.