Not many players of his generation could match the snarl and swagger of Radja Nainggolan.
For the past two decades, the former Roma and Inter Milan enforcer has often been a fan favourite and cult hero, a player who always gives as good as he gets.
But his journey in the game has hardly been straightforward, not least in his struggle to earn recognition in his own national side.
Nainggolan on the challenges he has faced with Belgium
The 37-year-old was born in Belgium as the son of an Indonesian immigrant and he sees himself as a product of a changing era.
“I guess I’m a child of modern Belgium, of modern Europe,” Nainggolan tells FourFourTwo, “And that’s probably why I’ve always so easily adapted in any place that I’ve lived. I come from a multicultural environment and I had to manage every situation since I was a kid.
“I remember I was always playing with my twin sister and following my older brother, and that’s also set up a vision of equality for me. When it came to sport, for me, everything was always natural. I was self-taught in any field. For instance, I was a good student, I’ve always studied. That said, I was always waiting for the school bell to ring so I could go on my break and play football.”
Nainggolan was just 17 when he left his home country to sign for Italian side Piacenza in 2006.
“I had the opportunity to go to Italy and couldn’t let it pass,” he continues. “I arrived in Piacenza and didn’t know a word of Italian, but I soon adapted. My nature helped me a lot when getting used to the culture and the people. Now Italy is my second home, and I’ll live there again after I’ve retired from playing.”
Nainggolan got his first call-up to the Belgian national side in 2009, with his total of just 30 international caps over his career a surprisingly low return for a player of his quality. Does he believe that moving to Italy took him off the radar back in his homeland?
“Perhaps, because I’d never played professionally in my own country until I came back to Antwerp in 2021,” he adds. “But somehow, yes, I reckon other players were shown the red carpet compared to me. I had to struggle, but I finally succeeded in getting a call up in 2009, even if I needed time to get there.”
One of Nainggolan’s best spells in club football came following his 2014 move from Cagliari to Roma, where he made more than 200 appearances and is considered a club icon in the Italian capital.
“That’s the most important thing to me – winning over the supporters,” he declares. “Even if we didn’t win anything, I still carry the fans in my heart all the time.”
