@FootynewsRadja Nainggolan's back is where the whole story lives. Two large wings, tattooed permanently, are his tribute to his mother. That tribute carries weight because of what came before it. His father walked out when he was five, and his mother worked three jobs to hold the family together. The Belgian grew up on the streets, and he didn't dress it up when he talked about it. "I grew up on the street and made mistakes. I stole food to be able to eat; I could not afford to buy it," he said, as reported by The Times. Then 2010 arrived. At 22, he signed his first major contract with Cagliari. In the same year, after a long illness, his mother died of cancer. One door opening while another closed for good. So when people talk about his fighting spirit, it wasn't just a style he picked up on a pitch. Childhood taught him how to scrap. Loss taught him the rest. He kept going anyway.

@FootynewsRadja Nainggolan's back is where the whole story lives. Two large wings, tattooed permanently, are his tribute to his mother. That tribute carries weight because of what came before it. His father walked out when he was five, and his mother worked three jobs to hold the family together. The Belgian grew up on the streets, and he didn't dress it up when he talked about it. "I grew up on the street and made mistakes. I stole food to be able to eat; I could not afford to buy it," he said, as reported by The Times. Then 2010 arrived. At 22, he signed his first major contract with Cagliari. In the same year, after a long illness, his mother died of cancer. One door opening while another closed for good. So when people talk about his fighting spirit, it wasn't just a style he picked up on a pitch. Childhood taught him how to scrap. Loss taught him the rest. He kept going anyway.