Soccer

Nainggolan Retires after Belgium 2018 world cup squad exclusion

by
Lungelo Mdladla
May 22, 2018

Radja Nainggolan has announced his retirement from international football after being left out of the Belgium squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

The 30-year-old midfielder is said to have had a bumpy relationship with Belgium manager Roberto Martinez, which has led to his omission from the World Cup squad despite playing a key role in Roma reaching the semi-finals of this year’s Uefa Champions League.

Nainggolan was twice this year dropped from the Belgium squad, but was involved in his country’s last match against Saudi Arabia.

Martinez told a press conference: “Nainggolan is a top player. The reason is tactical.

“In the past two years the team has worked in a specific manner. Other players had those roles.

“We know Radja has a very important role in his club and we cannot give him that role in our squad.”

The midfielder immediately responded to his exclusion from the Belgium squad by announcing his retirement through his social media account.

Nainggolan said on his social media account:

“Very reluctantly my international career comes to an end…I’ve always done everthing I could to represent my country🇧🇪 Being yourself can be bothering …From this day on I will be the first fan…”

Met veel pijn in het hart maak ik een einde aan men internationale carriere… ik heb er altijd alles aangedaan om er bij te zijn en belgie te vertegenwoordigen 🇧🇪… spijtig genoeg is ECHT zijn niet goed voor SOMMIGE… En vanaf vandaag zal ik de eerste supporter zijn…. Purtroppo molto a malincuore termina la mia carriera internazionale… ho sempre fatto di tutto per poter rappresentare la mia nazione 🇧🇪 Essere se stessi a volte puó dare fastidio… Da oggi saró il primo tifoso… Very reluctantly my international career comes to an end…I’ve always done everthing I could to represent my country🇧🇪 Being yourself can be bothering …From this day on I will be the first fan…

A post shared by Radja Nainggolan (@radjanainggolan.4) on May 21, 2018 at 4:11am PDT

The Belgium squad is headlined by Manchester City duo Kevin de Bruyne and Vincent Kompany as well as Eden Hazard of Chelsea and Romelu Lukaku of Manchester United.

There is also a place for Christian Benteke of Crystal Palace, who makes a return to the Belgium national team having been left out for the last international friendly against Saudi Arabia.

Belgium’s initial 28-man squad for the World Cup:

Goalkeepers: