INDONESIAN root in the BELGIAN RED DEVIL, Radja Nainggolan

"Radja Nainggolan is de duurste Belgische voetballer in de Italiaanse Serie A." (Radja Nainggolan is the most expensive Belgian footballer in the Italian Serie A) wrote het Nieuwsblad in his website 12 hours ago. He earned 1.8 million euros after his transfer to AS Roma from Cagliari.   

 

I forgot when exactly I heard his name for the first time. Until last weekend, I heard again his name told by a TV commentator related to Family Day of Red Devil, Belgian National Team. It sounds in donenesian, I thought. For Indonesians the 'family' name Nainggolan is very familiar. Nainggolan is a clan name coming from one of descent of Batak King in North Sumatera. And Radja itself in standard Indonesian written as Raja means King. So Raja Nainggolan means King Nainggolan.   

  

 

pic: twitter Radja Nanggolan







pic: twitter Radja Nainggolan

This midfielder is born in Antwerp 26 year ago from Belgian mother and Indonesian father. Starting his career with club Germinal Beerschot Antwerp - as Vermaelen en Vertonghe, at the age of 17, he moved to Italy. Since 2010 he arrived in Seri A's Cagliari. At the same year, his mother passed away. Nainggolan who speaks Dutch, English and Italian then tattoed his back with the dates of birth and death of his mom.

As one of Belgian assets, Naiggolan really wants to strengthen the national team the Red Devil. Unfortunately he had no chance to play for the worldcup this year. During friendly match Belgium vs Australia on last thursday he played after 63 minutes. According to voetbalkrant.com that put him under the loep Nainggolan showed his excellent playing with passing (7/8), ballrecuperation (1/2), and finishing (1/1).     

 

pic: http://www.voetbalkrant.com/nl

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