Radja Nainggolan: “I know my qualities and I chose Roma because they were looking for a type like me”
The story of Radja Nainggolan is one of relentless rise, from the streets of Antwerp to becoming one of Serie A’s defining midfielders. In this interview, he reflects on Italy, ambition, and the realities of international recognition. With his trademark honesty, Nainggolan speaks about identity, football life, and what still drives him forward.
Nainggolan’s story begins far from the spotlight. He reflects on where he comes from, what shaped him, and how football became his way forward. This interview took place in 2015, however Radja Nainggolan’s words about ambition, identity, and recognition feel timeless until today.
How is it for you to be back in your hometown for a moment?
Radja Nainggolan: “It feels a bit like coming home and that feels good. I don’t come here often anymore and it’s always nice to see it again. There are good memories here. In Italy I became a man, but here in Antwerp I lived my childhood. I grew up on the streets and I know I didn’t always do the right things, but at that time maybe it wasn’t even that wrong.”
How important was football to you as a child and later as a teenager?
“I always went to school with a ball, I always had it with me. Beerschot noticed me as a kid quite quickly, but I don’t remember much about it anymore. I only know that even then it was a big chance for me to play football there. Beerschot didn’t really have big plans with me, so as a teenager I quickly dared to take the step abroad.”
It remains unusual that a 16-year-old already leaves for Italy. How was that?
“It was obviously a new experience, but I wanted to try it. During the first six months I struggled a lot and wanted to go back. I missed home enormously, but Piacenza convinced me to stay and in the end it proved to be the right choice. Piacenza was the right club for me then. Looking back, it was the ideal place to become an adult. I have very good memories and also a few friends from that period.”
Nainggolan explains why Italy fits him so well, what makes Roma special, and how intense football culture is there.
Were you surprised by the interest from a top club like AS Roma?
“I know my qualities and I chose Roma because they were looking for a type like me. I now have an important role in the team. By moving to Roma I also knew for sure that my future would be in Italy. AS Roma is a top club and I believe I can become an even more complete player there.”
What kind of man is your French coach Rudi Garcia?
“He is a very good coach who shares his knowledge in a simple way and plays totally differently from most Italian teams. We play good and attractive, so-called un-Italian football, and we also get results. We focus less on the opponent and rely more on our own strength. Before my transfer I didn’t know I would start, but I was promised chances. I took them and stayed in the team. Garcia communicates a lot with his players and that is important. There is an open atmosphere between players and coach.”
How should we imagine football life in Italy today?
“You can hardly imagine how fanatic some people are. The love for their club goes very far with supporters. That always creates a great atmosphere and full stadiums. Our stadium (Stadio Olimpico, ed.) is always full and that remains fantastic. You are hugely appreciated as a player and for some it goes even further. Francesco Totti is truly a god at Roma and Daniele Di Rossi a half-god. I am a player who gives everything for the team, just like Kevin Strootman, and the supporters see that too.”
He also reveals his relationship with the country Belgium, his ambitions with the national team, and the frustration of missing the World Cup.
How do you experience that recognition in Belgium?
“That is not important to me. Things have been going well for me in Italy for a long time and in my homeland it will come too. Still I suspect that after my career I will stay in Italy. I can live much more calmly there and I am so used to everything. By now I don’t even remember what it is like to live in Belgium. It could change and maybe I will still buy a house in Antwerp to finish my career in Flanders, who knows even at Beerschot. I will always feel Belgian and from Antwerp. I grew up here and know every alley. Only here, in 2015, there is so little space. All cities look the same. In Italy there is more variety. People are friendly and open-hearted, they help each other more and everyone knows everyone. I miss that sometimes in Flanders.”
You were not at the last World Cup. Does that non-selection for Brazil still hurt?
“It still stings somewhere. You only play a World Cup once or twice in your career. Especially at my age it would have been a great chance. I understand that for a coach it is not always easy to choose, but personally I think I deserved the selection after my good performances at AS Roma. I can only accept it, in the end it is the past now. I have started a new chapter. I will keep giving everything to be able to go to Euro 2016. But first I want the scudetto, the title in Italy.”
Do you have dreams and ambitions for what comes next?
“I have been in Italy for so long and I think I will stay there. Maybe the English league suits me a little more, but Italy is the best football country for me. I get a lot of recognition there, life is fantastic, you can eat very well there and the weather is always nice.”
Ready for more?
Check out our interview from the same issue with Juan Mata here.
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