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Nainggolan snub leaves Belgium without its best two-way midfielder

Nainggolan snub leaves Belgium without its best two-way midfielder

  • Matthew Klimberg
For the second straight international break, Belgium will be without their best two-way midfielder. When the Devils go up against Bosnia and Herzegovina on October 7th, they’ll be without Roma’s Radja Nainggolan. No, he’s not hurt, his absence is a manager’s decision.

Roberto Martinez, who took over for Marc Wilmots in 2016, seems to feel that Nainggolan is undeserving of a spot on the world stage, yet again. Fans and pundits are perplexed by his decision.

For Roma, the man known as “Ninja” has been the heart of their midfield since his arrival prior to the 2014 World Cup. When not scoring bangers from outside the box, he uses his strong frame to protect possession in extremely tight places. Additionally, his size belies the sneaky speed he possesses, as he’s been known to strip possession from behind players.

After being snubbed during the previous international break, Nainggolan declared his retirement from international play. However, after speaking with Roma sporting director Monchi, he retracted that statement shortly after.

As for his club, Roma will be disappointed that Nainggolan will, once again, be unable to represent his country on the grandest stage. However, this period will afford him welcome respite from a grueling club schedule that sees Roma in three competitions across Europe.