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Radja Nainggolan
Personal information
Nainggolan with Belgium in 2017
Full name	Radja Nainggolan
Date of birth	(1988-05-04) 4 May 1988 (age 37)
Place of birth	Antwerp, Belgium
Height	1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s)	Central midfielder
Team information
Current team	Lokeren-Temse
Number	44
Youth career
2000–2005	Germinal Beerschot
2005–2007	Piacenza
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2006–2010	Piacenza	71	(4)
2010	→ Cagliari (loan)	7	(0)
2010–2014	Cagliari	124	(7)
2014	→ Roma (loan)	17	(2)
2014–2018	Roma	138	(26)
2018–2021	Inter Milan	33	(6)
2019–2020	→ Cagliari (loan)	26	(6)
2021	→ Cagliari (loan)	22	(1)
2021–2022	Antwerp	44	(3)
2023	SPAL	10	(1)
2023–2024	Bhayangkara	10	(1)
2025–	Lokeren-Temse	15	(3)
International career
2004	Belgium U16	1	(0)
2007	Belgium U19	2	(0)
2008–2009	Belgium U20	2	(0)
2007–2010	Belgium U21	13	(1)
2009–2018	Belgium	30	(6)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11 May 2025

Radja Nainggolan (born 4 May 1988) is a Belgian professional footballer. He plays as a central midfielder for Challenger Pro League club Lokeren-Temse.

He is nicknamed Il Ninja. Radja spent most of his career playing in Italy. He played for Piacenza, Cagliari, Roma, and Inter Milan. He played 367 games and scored 48 goals in Serie A. He was chosen for the Serie A Team of the Year four times in a row.

Radja Nainggolan played for the Belgium national team for eight years. He played 30 games for his country and scored six goals. He also represented Belgium at Euro 2016.

Radja Nainggolan's Early Life

Radja Nainggolan was born in Antwerp, Belgium. His mother, Lizy Bogaerts, was Belgian. She raised him, his three half-brothers, and his twin sister. His father, Marianus Nainggolan, was Indonesian.

Radja grew up in Kiel, a busy neighborhood in Antwerp. His father left the family when Radja was young. Radja's mother passed away in 2010. After her death, he got a tattoo of two large wings on his back. The tattoo included her birth and death dates.

Radja was raised Roman Catholic. He can speak Dutch, English, French, and Italian very well.

Radja's Club Football Journey

Starting at Piacenza

Radja Nainggolan started playing football at age five with Tubantia Borgerhout. Seven years later, he joined the youth team of Germinal Beerschot. In 2005, he moved to Italy to play for Serie B club Piacenza.

He played his first senior game on 28 May 2006. The next season, he became a regular player for the first team. In the 2008–09 season, Radja became a key player for Piacenza. He played 38 out of 42 games and scored three goals. This helped his team avoid being moved to a lower league.

Time with Cagliari

On 27 January 2010, Radja Nainggolan joined Cagliari on loan. They had an option to buy him later. He played his first Serie A game on 7 February. He played seven minutes in a 3–0 loss against Inter Milan.

After playing seven games, Cagliari bought half of his player rights. In the first part of the 2010–11 season, Radja played often. This was because another player, Daniele Conti, was absent. On 31 October 2010, he scored his first goal in Italy's top league. It was a powerful shot in a 2–0 home win against Bologna.

On 31 January 2011, Cagliari bought the rest of his contract from Piacenza. By October 2013, Radja had been a top player for three seasons. He signed a contract extension until 2016. Cagliari fans loved him and even named him one of the best players in the club's history.

Playing for Roma

Nainggolan playing for Roma in 2014

On 7 January 2014, Radja joined Roma on loan. He played for them until the end of the season. He made his debut two days later in a 1–0 win against Sampdoria. This game helped Roma reach the Coppa Italia quarter-finals. He also played a full game when Roma beat Juventus in the quarter-finals.

On 22 February 2014, Radja scored his first goal for Roma. It was the winning goal in a 1–0 game against Bologna. His second goal came on 19 April against Fiorentina. This goal helped his team get into the UEFA Champions League automatically.

Radja signed a permanent deal with Roma in 2015. On 6 July 2016, he extended his contract until June 2020. He then extended it for another year the following summer.

Moving to Inter Milan

On 26 June 2018, Radja Nainggolan signed with Inter Milan. He scored in his first league game on 1 September, helping Inter win 3–0 against Bologna. A month later, he scored a goal in a 2–1 comeback win against PSV in the Champions League. He was the first Belgian player to score for Inter in that competition.

In August 2019, Radja went back to Cagliari on loan for a season. He was named the league's MVP for November. He scored two long-range goals and made three assists in three matches. This helped his team reach fourth place in the league. Radja returned to Cagliari again on loan on 31 December 2020.

Time with Antwerp

On 10 August 2021, Radja Nainggolan's contract with Inter Milan ended. Four days later, the 33-year-old signed a two-year deal with Royal Antwerp in Belgium. He played his first game in Belgium's First Division on 22 September. It was a 4–2 home win against Genk.

He scored his first goal in the league on 5 December against Beerschot. He dedicated the goal to his late mother. In December, he left Antwerp by agreement with the club.

Playing for SPAL

On 30 January 2023, Radja Nainggolan joined Italian second-tier club SPAL. He signed a five-month contract. His former Roma teammate, Daniele De Rossi, was the coach there. SPAL was hoping to get promoted to a higher league, but they did not. Instead, they were moved down to a lower league.

Time with Bhayangkara

In late November 2023, Radja Nainggolan joined Bhayangkara in Indonesia. The team wanted to avoid being moved down from Liga 1. Radja's contract was for the rest of the season. He made his debut on 17 December in a 3–0 win against Persita Tangerang. This was his team's first win in 17 league games. He scored his only goal on 16 March 2024. It was in a 2–3 home loss to Dewa United.

Later Career

On 21 January 2025, Radja Nainggolan signed a five-month deal with Challenger Pro League club Lokeren-Temse. In his first game, he scored a special goal directly from a corner kick. This helped his team draw 1–1 against Lierse.

Radja's International Career

Nainggolan in action for Belgium under-21s in 2009

Radja Nainggolan could have played for either Indonesia or Belgium. This was because of his parents' backgrounds. He chose to play for Belgium. He played in the 2007–09 International Challenge Trophy finals, which Belgium's under-23 team won.

Radja played his first game for the senior national team on 29 May 2009. It was against Chile in the Kirin Cup. He scored his first goal for Belgium on 5 March 2014. It was in a 2–2 friendly game against Côte d'Ivoire.

On 13 May 2014, Radja was on a standby list for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. However, he was not chosen for the final team.

Radja was a starting player for Belgium during the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying games. He scored in a draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina. He also scored in a 4–1 win in Andorra. These goals helped Belgium qualify for the tournament for the first time in 16 years.

Radja was selected to play in the Euro 2016 tournament in France. He played his first game in the tournament on 13 June. It was a 2–0 loss against Italy. He came on as a substitute in the second game, a 3–0 win against the Republic of Ireland. He then started the game against Sweden. He scored the only goal in that game, sending Belgium to the next stage. In the quarter-finals, he scored from 25 meters to put Belgium ahead against Wales. However, Belgium lost that game 3–1.

On 26 August 2017, Radja announced he would stop playing for the national team. This was after he was not chosen for upcoming World Cup qualifiers. He said he wanted to focus on his club career with Roma. However, he was later chosen by the new manager, Roberto Martínez, for friendly games in November. But he had to pull out due to an injury.

On 21 May 2018, Radja announced his retirement from international football again. This was after he was not picked for the upcoming World Cup in Russia.

Radja's Playing Style

Radja Nainggolan is a fast, energetic, and strong midfielder. He can play in many different midfield positions. He has good vision and can pass the ball well. He is often used as a playmaker in front of his team's defense. He is also known for his strong attacking play and his ability to score goals from midfield. He can shoot powerfully and accurately from far away.

Radja is also good at winning the ball back from opponents. He is quick, has great stamina, and tackles strongly. Because of these skills, he often plays in a box-to-box role. This means he helps both in defense and attack. He can also play as a winger.

When he moved to Roma, he mostly played as a central or defensive midfielder. Sometimes he even played as a right-back. Later, under coach Luciano Spalletti, he played in a more attacking role. He played as an attacking midfielder or a second striker.

Besides his football skills, Radja Nainggolan is also known for his leadership.

Radja's Life Outside Football

Personal Life

Radja Nainggolan is married to Claudia Lai. They have two daughters, Aysha (born 2012) and Mailey (born 2016). His twin sister, Riana, is also a footballer. She is openly lesbian, and Radja has spoken out against unfair treatment of gay people.

Ambassadorship

On 8 November 2023, Radja Nainggolan became a special ambassador. He helped promote the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup along with fellow footballer Sabreena Dressler.

Career Statistics

Club Games

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			National cup		Europe		Total
Club	Season	Division	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	Serie A	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	Serie A	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	Serie A	22	1	0	0	—		22	1
	Total		48	7	3	0	—		51	7
Antwerp	2021–22	Belgian Pro League	32	2	0	0	5	1	37	3
	2022–23	Belgian Pro League	12	1	0	0	6	2	18	3
	Total		44	3	0	0	11	3	55	6
SPAL	2022–23	Serie B	10	1	—		—		10	1
Bhayangkara	2023–24	Liga 1	10	1	—		—		10	1
Lokeren-Temse	2024–25	Challenger Pro League	15	3	—		—		15	3
Career total			517	60	22	2	57	7	596	69

International Games

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Belgium	2009	1	0
	2010	0	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

Scores and results list Belgium's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Nainggolan goal.

List of international goals scored by Radja Nainggolan
No.	Date	Venue	Cap	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	5 March 2014	King Baudouin, Brussels, Belgium	5	Ivory Coast	2–0	2–2	Friendly
2	13 October 2014	Bilino Polje, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina	8	Bosnia and Herzegovina	1–1	1–1	UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying
3	7 June 2015	Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France	11	France	3–0	4–3	Friendly
4	10 October 2015	Estadi Nacional, Andorra la Vella, Andorra	15	Andorra	1–0	4–1	UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying
5	22 June 2016	Allianz Riviera, Nice, France	22	Sweden	1–0	1–0	UEFA Euro 2016
6	1 July 2016	Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France	24	Wales	1–0	1–3	UEFA Euro 2016